São Paulo – Egypt was one of the best-performing markets for beef exports from Brazil in May. The Brazilian Meat Exporting Industries Association (Abiec) reported this Monday (15th) that sales to the country reached US$ 66.81 million, a 165% increase over April. Year-on-year in May, exports increased by 98.9%, according to the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.
Egypt was the second leading destination for Brazilian beef last month, after Hong Kong, whose imports amounted to US$ 86 million. The top ten markets include two other Arab countries: Algeria, at US$ 12.5 million in imports; and United Arab Emirates, at US$ 10.3 million.
Overall beef exports from Brazil to Arab countries reached US$ 108 million in May, up 36.2% from May 2014, according to numbers from the Ministry of Development. Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce CEO Michel Alaby noted that sales rose as food is being stocked up for the month of Ramadan in Arab countries.
In a press release, Abiec president Antônio Jorge Camardelli said that in the second half of the year, sales will begin again to Saudi Arabia, which embargoed imports of Brazilian beef in late 2012.
As ANBA reported on Friday (12th), delegates from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) travelled to Brazil, paid visits to meat companies and laboratories, and convened with Brazilian authorities. Based on what they saw and heard, the technicians will likely advise that imports be resumed.
Total beef exports from Brazil amounted to US$ 467.8 million in May, up 2% from April, but down 24% from May 2014.
Year-to-date
Year-to-date through May, Brazilian beef sales to Arab countries fetched US$ 425 million, up 7% from the comparable period of last year.
Overall, beef exports from Brazil grossed US$ 2.2 billion in the first five months of 2015, down 20.77% from January through May 2014.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
