By Ana Cecília Kreter, Fabio Servo, Ana Cecília Almeida e José Ronaldo de C. Souza Júnior
Meat exports – beef, pork and chicken – had a cumulative growth of 10% compared to the same period last year (table 1). Among the main destinations, beef and pork exports to China (116% and 137% increase, respectively) account for a lot of this overall growth. This increase in exports happened because: a) the African swine fever (ASF) decreased China’s pork production; b) the USA-China trade war decreased American commodities exports; c) more recently, the Covid-19 pandemic. The Asian bloc (not including China) exhibited a moderate overall growth of 6%, whereas having a 10% decrease in chicken imports. Compared to last year, the European Union and the Middle East bought less meat from Brazil in 2020 – except for pork exports to the Middle East, which grew 38%.
