Brazil to Be Biggest Beef Producer in Five Years

BRAZIL – Brazilians are confident of muscling the US off world beef's top spot by becoming the biggest beef producer by 2020.

20 August 2015

2 minute read

South America

Already the largest beef exporter, Brazil has witnessed a 737 per cent in shipments since the year 2000 and, according to the country’s export organisation, has few challengers.

Australia represent one other possible world leader, but water difficulties make this unlikely, said Brazilian Association of Meat Exporters (Abiec) director, Fernando Sampaio, earlier this week.

He also said the US does not have much growth potential.

“Livestock is taking up less physical space without losing productivity,” he said. “Pasture remains our base for production, while the US continues to rear in confinement.”

He acknowledged, however, some disease issues were still to iron out in Amapa, Roraima and the Amazon.

But data already shows exports are moving in the right direction, helped by China ending its hiatus from Brazilian beef in June.

Abiec noted strong export performance in July, welcoming a resurgence in Chinese buying, resulting in China entering the top ten of buyers in a mere month and a half.

This has led the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA) predicting export earnings for 2015 to lift 20 per cent.

Mr Sampaio said: "By 2007, our largest importer was the EU, which hitherto has always been our biggest market. From 2002 to 2012, Russia became our most important buyer. Then Hong Kong topped the EU and Russia.

"With the recent rehabilitation of new slaughterhouses by the Chinese, in 45 days - the end of June and throughout the month of July – we exported 15,000 tons here, meaning the trend is only growing."

CNA figures show Brazil’s beef industry plays an important role across the country, impacting on every region as part of a meat supply chain generating 7 million jobs.