Russia Demand Will Boost Brazil’s Beef, Pork Exports

The USDA predicts that Brazil’s pork exports will soar 20% next year, and beef shipments will reach an all-time high, spurred by Russia’s quest to replace supplies it forfeits by banning imports from the U.S. and the European Union, according to Agrimoney.com.

The increases will reflect the boost to Brazilian trade from Moscow’s decision to ban for a year shipments from many Western powers in retaliation for sanctions they imposed over the Ukraine crisis.

Russian importers have also turned to Argentina, Uruguay and even Swiss group Micarna in a search for alternative suppliers.

Brazil is already the world’s top beef exporter, shipping nearly twice as much as the U.S. Still, the orders from Russia and approval of more than 100 Brazilian meat plants for export come at an opportune time for the South American country, which currently faces a soft domestic market.

“Trade sources expect that Brazilian pork exports will occupy 35-40% of the Russian market” next year, said USDA officials. In pork exports, the country ranks fourth, behind the U.S., the EU, and Canada. S