Brazilian beef exports should yield US$ 3.1 billion, up to the end of December this year, which represents an increase in 26% in relation to last year, despite several foot and mouth disease focuses in Brazil, since October.
The information about another record year for the Brazilian beef industry was released today by the Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association (Abiec) chief, Marcus Vinícius Pratini de Moraes. Brazil carries on as world leader in the product’s exports in terms of volume.
From January to the 18th of December this year, the country exported 2.29 million tons of beef to 176 countries. During the first eleven months in 2005, Russia was the greatest importer of Brazilian beef, with sales of US$ 530.4 million. Egypt came in second, importing US$ 223.8 million.
The Brazilian food industry is doing well. As well as the country currently being one of the greatest consuming markets in the world, Brazil has the potential to increase productivity and grow even more in the foreign market.
"We will be the world’s barn," stated recently the president of the Brazilian National Union of the Animal Feed Industry (Sindirações), Mario Sergio Cutait.
According to information from the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), it is estimated that today there are about 6 billion people in the world, but in 2050 there will be 9 billion. According to Cutait, Brazil may supply the larger part of the food demand created with the population growth.
"We may increase our production. We have earth, water, sun the whole year long and we are a country that doesn’t have agriculture subsidies. We may supply good part of national and world needs at competitive prices," said the Sindirações president.
According to him, Brazil is a very flexible country and may meet the demands by the foreign market and keep costs low. "That is what other countries cannot do and so start placing barriers on our products," he said.
Cutait stated also that the quality of Brazilian products exported is the same as that sold in the internal market and that the greatest regulators of Brazilian products are the demands made by the importers themselves.
One example of this is that Brazil is leader in bovine beef exports. Last year the country exported to 140 countries.
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