Ukraine ban sees fall in Brazil pork exports
According to figures from the Brazilian Association of Pork Producers and Exporters (ABIPEC), Brazil’s pork exports for March fell to 39,249 tonnes (t) in March 2013, a 17.87% year-on-year decrease. Revenue was down 13.5% to US$105.32 million, boosted by a 5.5% increase on the average price per tonne for Brazilian pork exports in March 2013 compared to March 2012.
Exports for the first quarter of 2012 reached 120,146t, a 2.9% fall compared to the same period last year. First quarter revenues reached $318.27m, an increase of 0.92% from the same period in 2012.
ABIPEC said Brazilian pork exports to Argentina increased significantly last month, with 1,398t exported - a 211% increase in March 2012 figures. The value of Brazilian pork exports to Argentina rose 22% to $4.41m, up from $1.37m in March 2012.
Exports to Russia – the biggest market for Brazilian pork – also grew 10% year-on-year 2013, with value up 6% to $27.49m.
However, exports to Hong Kong and Singapore, the second- and fifth-biggest markets for Brazilian pork, fell 24% year-on-year in March 2013. Exports to Ukraine, the third biggest market, fell 33% to 8,048t compared to 1,972t in March 2012. The value of exports to Ukraine dropped 26% to $23.51m, compared to $31.57m in March last year.
ABIPEC said that the drop in exports to Ukraine reflected the temporary ban on Brazilian pork exports imposed by the country last month. It added that if the situation was not resolved soon, it could seriously impact on Brazilian pork volumes for 2013.
ABIPEC president Rui Saldanha Eduardo Vargas said: “The numbers already show an impact from the temporary suspension of imports of Brazilian pork by Ukraine. The resumption of exports to Ukraine is a priority for Brazilian authorities. The immediate rebuilding of the Ukrainian market is very important to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, as losses in the pig production chain could be even greater.”
Ukraine suspended Brazilian pork exports on 20 March 2013, claiming that Brazilian exporters were not meeting the required veterinary standards. However, experts from Ukraine have suggested that the ban could have been imposed to support local pig producers, which have been struggling to compete with cheaper Brazilian imports.
