São Paulo – Brazilian beef export volume and revenue increased year-on-year in May, the Brazilian Meat Exporting Industries Association (Abiec) reported this Thursday (9). Egypt and Saudi Arabia ranked among the top ten buyers.
Exports fetched USD 503.5 million in May, up 8% from May 2015. Shipped volume stood at 129,800 tons, up 14%.
Egypt ranked fourth in revenues at USD 56 million, with 18,300 tons imported. Saudi Arabia was tenth at USD 15.8 million and 4,000 tons purchased.
The top buyer was Hong Kong, followed by China, the European Union, Egypt, Russia, Iran, United States, Chile, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.
In a press release, Abiec stressed the relevance of the top two buyers so far this year. “Less than a year since it reopened its market to us, China is already our second leading buyer year-to-date. That supports our positive expectation of matching 2014 export levels, when we shipped a total of 1.5 million tons of beef abroad,” said Abiec president Antônio Jorge Camardelli.
Hong Kong imported USD 96.1 million worth of Brazilian beef in May, at 28,000 tons. China bought 20,300 tons for USD 84.4 million. The European Union imported 10,200 tons, spending USD 62.3 million in the process.
Raw beef was the top-selling product in May, grossing USD 397 million at 100,000 tons exported, up 17% and 16% respectively.
Year-to-date through May, Brazil exported USD 2.3 billion worth of beef, up 1.4% from the year-ago period. Shipped volume reached 609,700 tons, up 12%. The leading importers from January through May were, in this order, Hong Kong, China, European Union, Egypt, Russia, Iran, Chile, United States, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum