In the first result below expectations of 2018, total beef exports (in natura and processed) decreased by 4% in volume and 5% in revenue in April, according to the Brazilian Association of Refrigerators (Abrafrigo), which compiled the final data of April movement released by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC), through Secex / Decex. In comparison with April 2017, a month that is not considered a good reference because the market was under the most immediate effects of the Federal Police’s Low Meat Operation, with many countries interrupting imports waiting for information from the Brazilian authorities, 85,064 tonnes, compared to 88,733 tonnes last year. Revenue, in turn, was $ 344.7 million versus $ 361.4 million in 2017.
In the accumulated of the first four months of this year, however, exports go well: 20% growth in tons and 17% in revenue. In the volume, reached 505,498 tons against 419,986 tons in the same period of 2017. Already the revenue reached US $ 1.93 billion against US $ 1.66 billion in the previous period. According to Abrafrigo, the problems of the image of the Brazilian product in the international market caused by the operations of the Federal Police continue to influence exports to large customers such as the European Union, Russia and the United States.
In the countries that performed positively in the first four months of the year, Hong Kong continues to lead imports of the Brazilian product with a 49.8% increase in handling: from 88,543 tons to 132,603 tons. In addition to mainland China, which increased from 64,770 tons to 84,290 tons, with growth of 30%, the Chinese market absorbs almost 50% of Brazil’s beef exports. Egypt also increased its imports by 153% (from 21,822 tonnes in 2017 to 55,383 tonnes in 2018), while Chile increased its purchases by 115.3% (from 16,004 tonnes to 34,463 tonnes).