Brazil Expects Surge in Meat Exports to the Philippines

The Philippines, one of the fastest-growing importers of Brazilian meat in 2024, is poised to expand its partnership with Brazil. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Philippine government is expected to formalize the approval of Brazilian commercial storage facilities for exporting poultry, pork, and beef in the coming weeks.

“All commercial storage facilities inspected under the Federal Inspection System (SIF) will be eligible to store products for shipment to the Philippines, provided the meat originates from processing plants already approved for that market,” said Luis Rua, Secretary of Trade and International Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture. This measure is anticipated to enhance production capacity and streamline export processes for Brazilian companies.

Mr. Rua emphasized that meatpacking plants often face storage constraints, limiting their ability to scale up production and exports. The approval of commercial storage facilities is expected to alleviate these bottlenecks, allowing for increased shipments to the Philippines. While Philippine authorities have finalized the decision, its formal publication is still pending.

Refrigerated storage facilities, typically located near customs zones, ports, or significant production and distribution hubs, require specific authorization to export stored goods. In Brazil, approximately 140 such facilities are operational but currently restricted from exporting, creating what Ricardo Santin, President of the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), described as a “significant logistical bottleneck.”

“Currently, shipments to key buyers like the Philippines are conducted directly from production units, which limits capacity, increases costs, and reduces competitiveness,” Mr. Santin noted. “Authorizing these facilities would enhance companies’ storage capacity and commercial flexibility while cutting logistical costs—particularly during challenges like container shortages, which we experienced during the pandemic.”

The chart below shows the pattern of Brazilian shipments of containerized meat to the Philippines between January 2021 and November 2024. This data was derived from DataLiner.

Meat Exports to the Philippines | Jan 2021 – Nov 2024 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Inspection Standards

In 2024, the Philippines approved a pre-listing system for Brazilian export units, recognizing the equivalence of Brazil’s sanitary inspection standards. Under this system, meatpacking plants and storage facilities audited and approved by Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture are automatically accepted by Philippine authorities.

If this pre-listing framework is extended to commercial storage facilities, all SIF-inspected establishments will gain eligibility to negotiate with Filipino importers. “Whether the authorization follows SIF rules or adopts the pre-listing approach, this would be a significant step forward in strengthening trade ties between Brazilian exporters and Filipino buyers,” Mr. Santin said.

The anticipated approval of Brazilian storage facilities is expected to bolster Brazil’s position in the Philippine meat market, improve logistical efficiency, and unlock new opportunities for growth in one of Asia’s most dynamic economies.

Source: Valor International 

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