Brazil pork exports rise 7.9% in August as China purchases surge

Brazil pork exports remained above year-earlier levels in August, supported by firm demand from Asia and a sharp monthly increase in shipments to China.

The country exported 129,600 metric tons of fresh and processed pork during the month, up 7.9% from August 2025, according to Cepea’s latest pork market bulletin, based on data from Brazil’s Secretariat of Foreign Trade, Secex. Shipments were marginally lower than the 129,900 tons recorded in July, a decline of 0.9%.

The monthly dip was not unusual. Cepea noted that exports have fallen between July and August in six of the past eight years, suggesting that the slight decline was consistent with the sector’s seasonal pattern rather than a broader loss of momentum.

Recent data from Datamar point in the same direction. In the first seven months of the year, Brazilian pork exports totaled 50,155 TEUs in seaborne shipments. See more details on the shipments below:

Pork Exports | Jan 2023 – Jul 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

From January through August, Brazil shipped 958,800 metric tons of pork, up 9% from the same period last year.

Export revenue totaled US$287 million in August, down 2.8% from July and 1.8% from a year earlier. Despite the weaker monthly result, cumulative revenue reached US$2.4 billion in the first eight months of 2026, an increase of 4.9% year over year.

The divergence between volume and revenue indicates that Brazil is moving more pork abroad this year, although export earnings have grown at a slower pace.

Philippines remains top destination

The Philippines retained its position as the leading destination for Brazilian pork for the 19th consecutive month, importing 23,300 tons in August. Purchases increased 14% from July.

Japan ranked second with 16,400 tons, down 11% month over month.

China followed with 15,100 tons, but its monthly increase stood out: Brazilian pork shipments to the Chinese market jumped 67% from July.

The stronger Chinese buying adds another layer to Brazil’s Asian pork trade, while the continued leadership of the Philippines highlights how the industry’s destination mix has shifted beyond markets that historically dominated Brazilian animal-protein exports.

For exporters and refrigerated logistics operators, sustained volumes near 130,000 tons per month keep pressure on cold-storage capacity, reefer equipment availability and maritime connections serving Asian destinations.

The destination mix also matters for freight planning. The Philippines, Japan and China are all long-haul markets, meaning changes in purchasing volumes can translate into shifts in refrigerated container demand, sailing requirements and export schedules at Brazil’s main meat-shipping gateways.

Export volumes remain resilient despite weaker domestic market

The strength of foreign shipments contrasts with the weaker domestic pork market described elsewhere in Cepea’s August bulletin. Brazilian pork supply remained high during the month, while domestic demand was insufficient to absorb available volumes, putting pressure on live hog and wholesale meat prices.

That backdrop increases the importance of overseas sales as an outlet for domestic production.

Cepea’s export data show that, despite the modest month-on-month decline in August, Brazil continues to send more pork abroad than it did in 2025. With cumulative volume up 9% and Asian buyers absorbing a large share of shipments, Brazil pork exports remain an important driver of refrigerated cargo flows and the country’s animal-protein trade.

Source: CEPEA Pork Report

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