Brazilian meat exports rise in Q1

Between January and March, beef exports rose 12.8% year over year to 676,000 tonnes, according to data from the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (ABIEC) based on figures from the Foreign Trade Secretariat (SECEX).

Revenue from beef shipments increased 22.1% to $3.22 billion over the same period. China purchased 284,600 tonnes in the quarter, accounting for 42.1% of Brazil’s total beef exports. The United States was the second-largest buyer, with 88,000 tonnes, or 13% of total exports.

Beef shipments to the U.S. benefited from a 65,000-tonne duty-free quota, which was fully used in January. From February onward, exports to the U.S. were subject to a 26.5% tariff, but sales remained strong despite the additional cost.

The chart below shows Brazil’s beef exports to United States between January 2021 and February 2025. The data comes from DataLiner.

Frozen Bovine Meat Exports to United States | JAN 2021 February 2025 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

With the tariff hikes recently announced by President Donald Trump targeting several countries, analysts expect demand for Brazilian meat to grow in global markets, potentially boosting both international and domestic prices.

In the context of an ongoing trade war, Brazilian pork is expected to gain further ground. From January through March, pork exports reached 336,800 tonnes, up 16.4% from the same period in 2024, according to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA). Revenue rose 32% to $789 million.

Chicken exports also performed strongly, totaling 1.387 million tonnes in the quarter—a 13.7% increase year over year, according to ABPA. Export revenue from poultry grew 20.8% to $2.587 billion.

“The monthly average for chicken exports stayed above 460,000 tonnes throughout the first quarter, an unprecedented level for the sector,” said ABPA president Ricardo Santin in a statement.