Marina Sarruf
São Paulo – Brazilian bovine meat exports have produced a revenue of US$ 1.555 billion between January and August this year, against US$ 875.3 million during the same period last year, which represents a 77.75% increase. Almost 1.2 million tons of the product was exported, whereas during the first eight months in 2003, 859.2 thousand tons were shipped, representing an increase of almost 40%. The sales were increased to a series of destinations, amongst them Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Egypt, part of the main 15 Brazilian meat importers.
During August, bovine meat exports added up to US$ 242.8 million, against US$ 109.6 million for the same month last year, which represents a 121.5% increase. Regarding volumes, 190.4 thousand tons were shipped in August, whereas during the same month last year 97.7 thousand tons were exported, a 94.8% increase.
The top importer country is Russia, which has bought US$ 32.94 million worth of Brazilian bovine meat, equivalent to 30.33 thousand tons.
According to the president of the Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association (Abiec), Marcus Vinícius Pratini de Moraes, Brazil should export the equivalent to US$ 2.3 billion until the end of the year. "We have the capacity to increase a lot our production, there are no limits," stated Pratini.
He added that Abiec will invest on marketing for the Brazilian bovine meat. Already as part of that effort, there will be the participation in two international fairs: World Food Moscow, in Russia and Sial Paris, in France, which will take place in October. During the event in Paris, the barbecue parlour Barbacoa will serve a traditional Brazilian barbecue to the visitors.