Brazil Oil & Fats insights

Pork consumption in Argentina has grown steadily over the past 20 years, while producers warn about inequalities in the face of imports from Brazil.

Pork sector consultant Juan Luis Uccelli developed a simple chart to understand why the common saying that imports serve to domesticate internal prices and control inflation does not always work. The import policy in the case of pork meat looks more than vigorous. Between January and May, pork meat imports, especially from Brazil, have been 24,303 tons. In the first five months of 2024, that same product had entered with 3,939 tons, which "demonstrates that the increase in purchases was gross," in the specialist's opinion. Uccelli also highlighted that in these first five months "more was imported than the entire year 2024," when official records mark pork meat entries of 19,351 tons. Up to here, the hard data. Did these imports serve to lower consumer prices, as the government preaches? Uccelli responded to that questioning: "Imports generally have, according to what the Government proposes, the purpose of lowering the prices consumers pay. Unfortunately, in pork meat, this has ...

From January to May 2025, Brazil exported a total of 584,800 tons of pork, a 15.4% increase compared to the same period last year. Total revenue for the first 5 months was $1.381 billion, an increase of 29.8%. The Philippines was Brazil's top pork export destination, importing 28,200 tons in May, a 115% increase from the same period last year; China imported 11,900 tons (-43%); Chile imported 10,900 tons (+21%); Singapore imported 8,300 tons (+7.1%); Japan imported 8,200 tons (+60%). "The Philippines' status as a major destination for Brazilian pork has improved, with Brazilian pork exports showing significant growth, expected to maintain this momentum throughout the year," said Ricardo, president of the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA). Santa Catarina remains the primary pork export region in Brazil, exporting 59,600 tons in May (+8.7%), followed by Rio Grande do Sul with 27,300 tons (+15.8%), Paraná with 19,200 tons (+28.9%), Mato Grosso with 3,000 tons (-10.2%), and Minas Gerais with 2,900 tons (+25.1%). A historic achievement for Brazilian livestock: Brazil received WOAH certification as a non-immune foot-and-mouth disease-free country, opening new opportunities for Brazilian meat to enter international markets and for more bone-in and by-products to enter China. On Friday, June 6, 2025, Brazilian President Lula and Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Carlos received the certificate from WOAH Director General Soubeyran in Paris, officially recognizing Brazil as a non-immune foot-and-mouth disease-free country. This recognition is the result of Brazil's continuous efforts over 60 years and is a historic achievement for Brazilian livestock. It also opens new opportunities for Brazil to enter the most demanding international markets. "This is recognition of a country that heavily depends on agribusiness and livestock. The certificate confirms the strength and reliability of Brazil's agricultural health defense system," President Lula said. "This is a historic day that proves the