Beef exports rise, but tariff hike hits sales to United States

Brazilian beef exports totaled US$10.84 billion through August 2025, a 34% increase compared with the same period last year, according to data from Abrafrigo (the Brazilian Meatpackers Association) released on Tuesday (23). The volume shipped also rose 19%, reaching 2.41 million tonnes.

However, sales of fresh and processed beef to the U.S. market plunged 46% in August, a direct result of tariffs imposed by Donald Trump’s administration on Brazilian products.

The measure pushed the U.S. out of the position of second-largest destination for Brazilian beef that month, behind China. Even so, when including byproducts such as beef tallow, the U.S. remained the second-largest market overall, with sales totaling US$136.4 million in August 2025.

China maintained its clear lead, boosting imports by 41% in the year to date, to US$4.97 billion. The next largest markets were the United States (US$1.61 billion, +73.2%), Chile (US$440.3 million, +36.9%), Mexico (US$439.8 million, +256.9%), and Russia (US$317.5 million, +61.6%).

See below for a comparison of Brazilian beef exports to China between January and July 2022–2025. The chart was prepared using DataLiner data:

Brazilian Beef Exports to China | Jan–Jul 2022–2025 | WTMT

Source: DataLiner (Click here to request a demo)

Even in the face of barriers imposed by Washington, Abrafrigo highlighted that 132 countries increased their purchases of Brazilian beef through August, while only 42 reduced them.

Source: Times Brasil

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