Santa Catarina meat exports hit record US$ 3.7 billion through October

Santa Catarina continues to consolidate its leading position in Brazil’s meat exports. Even with a slight decline in October shipments, the state recorded the best results in the historical series in both volume and revenue from January to October 2025, according to Epagri/Cepa.

Over the first ten months of the year, the state exported 1.68 million tonnes of meat (including chicken, pork, turkey, duck, drake, beef, and others), representing a 3% increase in volume and a 9.2% increase in revenue compared with the same period in 2024. External sales totaled US$3.72 billion, consolidating the historic performance.

State Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Chiodini, celebrates the excellent performance of Santa Catarina’s meat exports. In the case of chicken, he highlights the recovery capacity and resilience of Santa Catarina producers, even amid challenges posed by the avian influenza outbreak in southern Brazil. Regarding pork, Chiodini notes that Santa Catarina is responsible for more than half of Brazil’s exports. “This success is the result of a consistent strategy of market diversification and strong collaboration between our producers and the State Government. This unity ensures greater stability and strengthens Santa Catarina’s agribusiness’s competitiveness on the international stage. Santa Catarina remains consolidated as a national and global reference,” the secretary says.

According to Epagri/Cepa socioeconomics and rural development analyst Alexandre Giehl, the challenges faced by Santa Catarina’s meat exports have been overcome thanks to a consistent strategy of diversifying destinations. “For some years, the productive sector, in partnership with the Federal Government and the State Government, has been working to expand the number of buyers of Santa Catarina meat, reducing dependence on a few markets and ensuring greater stability for the sector,” Giehl explains.

The Epagri/Cepa analyst underscores the strategic role of diversification in resilience and competitiveness for Santa Catarina’s agribusiness in the international market. “Even in the face of temporary bans imposed by several countries on Brazilian chicken after the avian influenza outbreak recorded in Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina maintained excellent export levels, reaching the best result in the historical series for revenue from January to October 2025.”

Europe and China resume imports of Santa Catarina chicken

In October, exports of chicken meat from Santa Catarina totaled 111,700 tonnes, with US$ 223.1 million in revenue. Although the volume fell 4.3% compared with September, it rose 5.8% against October 2024. The result reflects the continued recovery of the sector after the avian influenza outbreak recorded in Rio Grande do Sul in May.

Year to date, Santa Catarina shipped 985,500 tonnes of chicken meat, generating US$ 2 billion, increases of 2.5% in volume and 6.3% in value over the previous year. This is the best performance for the period since the historical series began in 1997.

With the resumption of sales to the European Union, the Netherlands again stood out, leading purchases in October with 8,100 tonnes and US$ 25.3 million. Year to date, Saudi Arabia, Japan and the Netherlands rank among the main destinations, with shares of 12.5%, 10.8% and 10.1% of revenue, respectively. Sales to the United Kingdom and Mexico also grew strongly, above 30% in both quantity and value.

The lifting of China’s ban on Brazilian poultry imports is also expected to generate positive results for the state. Sales to that country, which had been suspended since mid-May, were reauthorized on November 7. In 2024, China was the fourth-largest destination for chicken from Santa Catarina, accounting for 9.1% of the volume shipped by the state.

Santa Catarina accounted for 26.3% of revenue and 22.8% of total volume in Brazil’s chicken exports up to October, remaining the country’s second-largest exporting state.

Japan remains the leading buyer of Santa Catarina pork

Pork exports also continue at a strong pace. In October, the state shipped 68,400 tonnes, totaling US$ 172.7 million. Despite a slight monthly decline, performance was higher than in October 2024.

From January to October 2025, Santa Catarina reached 630,600 tonnes exported and US$ 1.56 billion in revenue, increases of 5.9% in volume and 12.5% in value, marking the best results in history for the period.

Japan consolidated its position as the main destination for pork from Santa Catarina, accounting for 20.9% of total revenue, followed by the Philippines (19.2%) and China (16.2%). Mexico stood out, rising to fourth place in the ranking, with growth above 60% in sales to that country.

Nationally, Santa Catarina accounted for more than half of Brazil’s pork exports between January and October, with 51.2% of total volume and 51.9% of total revenue.

Total meat exports remain on the rise

Santa Catarina exported a total of 187,200 tonnes of meat (including chicken, pork, turkey, duck, drake, beef and other proteins) in October 2025. The volume represents a reduction of 5.3% compared with shipments in the previous month, but an increase of 2.8% compared with October 2024.

Revenue from external sales totaled US$ 415.7 million, down 5.1% compared with September, but up 4.1% compared with the same month last year. It is important to note that September recorded the best monthly result in revenue and the second-largest shipped volume in the entire historical series, which helps put the negative variations observed in October into perspective.

From January to October 2025, Santa Catarina exported 1.68 million tonnes of meat, with revenue totaling US$ 3.72 billion. The figures represent growth of 3% in volume and 9.2% in value compared with the same period in 2024, consolidating the state’s best performance for the interval in the entire historical series.

Source: Agência de Notícias SECOM SC

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