Brazil ends 2024 with record-breaking meat exports

Brazil closed 2024 with a historic milestone in meat exports, achieving record volumes of beef, pork, and chicken shipments. For 2025, international demand is anticipated to remain robust, with the potential for new market openings adding further opportunities.

Federal government data compiled by the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporters (ABIEC) and released on Tuesday show that beef exports reached a record 2.89 million tonnes, a 26.2% year-over-year increase.

Export revenues climbed to $12.8 billion, a 21.3% rise compared to 2023.

“While it’s still early to make a definitive prediction, we believe 2025 has the potential to surpass last year’s record in both export volumes and revenues,” said ABIEC President Roberto Perosa in a statement.

Mr. Perosa highlighted promising negotiations with key markets such as Japan, Vietnam, Turkey, and South Korea, which represent a significant portion of global beef consumption.

“Some of these markets are at various stages of negotiation, but we are working closely with the Brazilian government and the Ministry of Agriculture to bring Brazilian beef to these destinations,” he added.

However, researchers at the Center of Advanced Studies on Applied Economics (CEPEA) at the University of São Paulo (USP) noted that the pace of growth in beef exports could slow in 2025, even with the opening of new markets.

Below is a historical overview of Brazilian containerized beef exports between January 2021 and November 2024. The data comes from DataLiner, a product of Datamar’s market intelligence.

Beef Exports | Jan 2021 – Nov 2024 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

China continued to dominate as Brazil’s top beef importer in 2024, receiving 1.33 million tonnes valued at $6 billion. Shipments to China increased by 11.76% in volume and 4.71% in revenue year over year. Meanwhile, the United States imported 229,000 tonnes—a 65.14% surge—with revenues totaling $1.35 billion, up 59%.

Brazil’s chicken meat exports soared to a record 5.294 million tonnes in 2024, marking a 3% increase year-over-year, according to data from the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA).

This figure, which encompasses all fresh and processed products, met the association’s projections released last month. Export revenues also set a new benchmark, reaching $9.928 billion—a 1.3% rise.

The chart below explores containerized chicken meat exports (measured in TEUs) each month between January 2021 and November 2024. This information was derived from DataLiner.

Poultry Meat Exports | Jan 2021 – Nov 2024 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

China retained its position as Brazil’s top chicken meat importer, purchasing 562,200 tonnes despite a 17.6% decline compared to the previous year. ABPA projects that diversified export destinations in 2025 will help sustain positive outcomes.

“The indications remain optimistic for 2025, with the potential for further monthly increases and results exceeding last year’s figures, which should uphold the profitability of the sector’s agro-industries,” said ABPA President Ricardo Santin in a statement.

Brazil’s pork exports also hit unprecedented levels in 2024, totaling 1.352 million tonnes—a 10% increase from 2023.

Export revenues surpassed $3 billion for the first time, reaching $3.033 billion, a 7.6% rise.

Looking ahead, Mr. Santin is optimistic about the continued momentum. “We anticipate sustained export flows to Asian countries and the Americas,” he noted.

Fernando Iglesias, an analyst at Safras & Mercado, underscored Brazil’s competitive edge in global meat supply.

“Brazil remains the best alternative for global meat sourcing, a trend that will persist throughout 2025,” he said.

Translation: Todd Harkin

By Nayara Figueiredo e Cleyton Vilarino

Source: Valor International

Sharing is caring!