Brazilian beef exports hit 2026 monthly high in May

Brazilian beef exports in May rose to the highest monthly figure recorded in 2026 so far, driven by faster shipments from meatpackers to China to meet quota demand. Brazil shipped 297,000 tonnes of beef to markets worldwide, up 17.8% from the same month last year, when exports totaled 252,000 tonnes. Compared with April, volumes increased by nearly 3%.

Export revenue reached US$1.8 billion in May, up 6.5% from April, according to data from the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services released on Wednesday (June 3) and compiled by the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association, Abiec.

China remained the top destination for Brazilian beef during this period. Shipments to the country totaled 157,600 tonnes, generating US$1.06 billion in revenue.

Shipments to China rose 39.6% by volume compared with May 2025. The Chinese market accounted for 53.1% of all Brazilian beef exported last month.

“The increase in exports to China comes as the market brought shipments forward because of the entry into force of safeguard measures announced by the country for beef imports,” Abiec said in a statement.

The United States was the second-largest buyer of Brazilian beef, importing 28,800 tonnes worth US$195.6 million. It was followed by Russia, with 13,700 tonnes and US$66.5 million; Chile, with 8,500 tonnes and US$52.7 million; and the European Union, with 8,300 tonnes and US$77.5 million.

The average price of Brazilian beef exports reached US$6,100 per tonne in May, up 3.5% from April. Fresh beef accounted for 88.2% of the volume shipped during the period and 93.1% of the revenue earned by Brazilian meatpackers, according to Abiec.

In Brazil, the port terminals that stood out most in beef exports at the start of 2026 were BTP, TCP, and Santos Brasil, underscoring the prominent role of São Paulo and Paraná in this trade. The chart below shows the market share of the top 10 export terminals in the beef market between January and April 2026.

Top Terminals | Beef | Jan-Apr 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Year-to-date performance

In the first five months of the year, Brazilian beef exports totaled 1.3 million tonnes, up 15.3% from the same period in 2025, when shipments reached 1.2 million tonnes. Export revenue from January to May reached US$7.88 billion.

China remained the main destination for Brazilian beef in the year to date, with 631,900 tonnes purchased and US$3.78 billion in revenue. The Asian country accounted for 45.5% of Brazilian shipments and 48% of the sector’s revenue during the period.

Compared with the first five months of 2025, Chinese purchases rose 27.8% by volume.

The United States ranked as the second-largest buyer in the year to date, with 178,600 tonnes purchased and US$1.16 billion in revenue. Exports to the U.S. market represented 12.9% of Brazil’s total shipments during the period. Compared with the first five months of 2025, sales to the market rose 14.8% by volume.

Chile followed, with 58,000 tonnes imported and US$339.2 million in purchases over five months. Russia imported 54,100 tonnes worth US$245.2 million from January to May. The European Union imported 43,000 tonnes, generating US$377.2 million in revenue, with volume up 24% from the same period last year.

Source: Globo Rural

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