São Paulo - Brazilian beef exports rose 11.5% in August, compared to July, and almost 95%, compared to August 2003. It was the second consecutive month that beef exports were up over 90%, compared to a year ago (in July they were up 92,97%, compared to July 2003). In July Brazil shipped 170,674 tons of beef abroad, and in August beef exports rose to 190,403 tons.

Growth was strongest in beef in natura exports which, compared to August 2003, were up over 120% in volume (140,143 tons) and 142% in value (US$198.351 million).

The biggest buyers of Brazilian beef in natura are Russia, Holland, Chile and Iran. The latter showed the biggest jump in purchases in August, importing 11,115 tons, compared to 1,776 tons a year ago.

Brazilian industrialized beef is purchased mainly by the United States, England, Holland and Japan. The US is the biggest buyer of all. They imported 13,343 tons in August, an increase of 49;3%, compared to August 2003. But the fastest growing market is Cuba, which increased imports by over 1,000% - from 188 tons in August 2003, to 2,100 tons in August 2004.

For the year, January to August, Brazil exported some 2 million tons of beef, worth US$1.5 billion. Compared to 2003, that is an increase of 39.6%.

The president of the association of beef exporters (Abiec), Marcos Vinicius Pratini de Morais, says that the goal is not to just increase volume. "We seek greater aggregate value, market niches and new markets, such as Indonesia and Malaysia. But our beef is burdened by taxes," says Pratinin de Morais, pointing out that the European Union has surtaxes of up to 200% on Brazilian beef.

Agência Brasil
Reporter:Fabiana Uchinaka
Translator: Allen Bennett
09/14/2004