Beef exports grow almost 60% in April, says Abrafrigo

The total export of Brazilian beef (in Natura and processed) recorded growth of 56.8% in April, to 133,400 tonnes, compared to April 2018, when 85000 tons were shipped. Last month's foreign exchange revenue reached US $501 million, an increase of 45.2% before April 2018 (US $345 million). The information is from the Brazilian Association of Refrigerators (ABRAFRIGO), which compiled the data provided by the Ministry of Economics, through the Secretariat of foreign Trade. Abrafrigo highlights that much of the growth is the result of the changes in the methodology that the Ministry promoted last year, this same month. The performance of April, according to the entity, increased the accumulated of the first four months of the year for a movement of 539,700 tons of beef, with revenues of US $2 billion, compared to 478,500 tonnes (+ 13%) And revenue of US $1.936 billion (+ 4%) At 2018. Brazil beats Record and is the leading exporter of beef in the world Brazilians identify genes that improve beef quality The figures, according to Abrafrigo, reveal that the export goes well in volume, but the prices obtained by the Brazilian product in the international market are still relatively low. According to the Australian Beef Central portal, Brazilian beef prices are now 43% lower than those of Australia, a major competitor in the international market – were 39% in 2018, 35% in 2017 and 33% in 2016. Chinese demand continues leading China remains the largest destination of Brazilian beef, with imports of 208,717 tonnes in the first four months of the year by the city of Hong Kong and the mainland, with a drop of about 8000 tonnes compared to the same period of 2018 when Imports reached 216,893. According to Abrafrigo, a strong Chinese government policy is in place to replace the entries by Hong Kong for direct purchases. In the four-quarter of 2018, imports by the state city accounted for 27.7% of the total and in 2019 fell to 20.9%. Egypt is the second largest importer of Brazilian beef with 48,496 tonnes (-12.4%) Compared to 2018. In the third position comes Chile with 31,201 tonnes (-9.5%). They largely compensated these decrements, however, the growth of sales to Iran (32100 tonnes, or + 47.6%); UAE (31000 or + 350%); Russia, (17200 tonnes, or + 335%); Turkey, (with 12200 tonnes, or + 293%) And the Philippines, (with 9900 tonnes, or + 113%). In total, 86 countries increased imports of Brazilian beef, while others 56 decreased, according to Abrafrigo.