Brazil Beer Exports Surge 42% in First Half of 2024

Since 2007, the first Friday of August has been celebrated as International Beer Day. This beverage has been consumed worldwide since ancient times.

One of the main ingredients of beer is barley, which has been cultivated and used for human consumption for decades. According to the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), malt is produced from barley, which is then used in the beer brewing process. Brazil began its own barley production in the 1930s, primarily in the country’s southern region, where it gained significant economic importance.

In celebration of International Beer Day on Friday (2), Agriculture and Livestock Minister Carlos Fávaro emphasized the sector’s importance to the national economy and job creation. “The sector is very relevant to the country. We are committed to ensuring its continued growth, further boosting our agribusiness,” he stated.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) ensures that beer reaches consumers safely through inspection and registration actions conducted by the Secretariat of Agricultural Defense (SDA).

Since 2021, Mapa has published the Beer Yearly Report Book, which presents statistical data on establishment and product registration, as well as import and export figures.

The following chart builds on DataLiner data, a Datamar maritime intelligence product, to provide an analysis of exports of beer made from malt shipped in containers that departed Brazil’s ports between January 2021 and June 2024.

Beer Exports in Containers | Jan 2021 – Jun 2024 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

The Report Book released this year includes data collected in 2023, showing that Brazil has one registered brewery for every 109,000 inhabitants. São Paulo has the highest number of registered breweries, totaling 410, marking the first time a state has surpassed 400 registered breweries. Additionally, 771 Brazilian municipalities have at least one brewery.

In terms of brands, Brazil boasts over 60,000 beer brands registered with the Ministry. In 2023, beer production exceeded 15 billion liters. Among the leading products, 100% malt beer or pure malt beer stands out, accounting for 29.2% of the declared production volume. Pure malt beer is brewed from a wort whose original extract comes exclusively from malted barley or malt extract without brewing adjuncts.

According to the Secretariat of Trade and International Relations (SCRI) of Mapa, Brazil exported $95 million worth of beer to 57 destinations in the first half of this year, totaling approximately 135 million liters. Compared to the same period in 2023, there was a 42% increase in export value and a 32% increase in product volume.

The three most significant buyers of Brazilian beer were neighboring South American countries: Paraguay with $60 million, Bolivia with $16 million, and Chile with $7 million.

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