Philippines meat imports from Brazil expected to surpass 250k MT

MANILA, Philippines — Brazil’s chicken meat and pork exports to the Philippines are set to expand this year as the latter turns to foreign stocks to augment a shortfall in its domestic supplies.

The Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) told The STAR it estimates full-year Brazilian pork exports to the country doubling to 255,000 metric tons from last year’s 126,005 MT.

Industry players earlier attributed the growing purchases of pork from Brazil to the increasing number of allowed foreign meat establishments to ship meat to the Philippines, thanks to the system accreditation given by the government.

The system accreditation allows all exporters duly registered and accredited by Brazil to ship meat products to the Philippines.

Prior to the system accreditation, there were 53 foreign meat establishments (FMEs) in Brazil that were allowed to export meat products to the Philippines.

The Philippines has been one of the fastest growing markets of Brazil for pork in Asia, with the former becoming the latter’s third biggest market for pork products last year.

This year, the country is poised to become Brazil’s second largest market for pork products, based on ABPA estimates.

The ABPA cited the Philippines as one of the contributors to the increase in Brazil’s total pork exports this year. The group said Brazil’s pork exports would reach 1.35 million MT, up 9.8 percent from 1.23 million MT.

“In the foreign market, there is an expectation of an improvement in the flow to China, in addition to the qualification of new plants for destinations in Latin America, which will add to the continued demand from pre-listing markets, such as the Philippines and Chile,” ABPA president Ricardo Santin said.

ABPA market director Luís Rua said Brazil would hike and diversify its exports of pork products to the Philippines after the system accreditation of the South Asian country as it improves market competition.

“The Philippines has become a main market for swine meat,” Rua said.

Rua noted that the Philippines turned to foreign supplies to meet its pork requirement after ASF, a fatal transboundary pig disease but not harmful to humans, decimated the country’s swine population.

The Philippines has lost at least three million pigs, with industry players estimating that hog raisers have lost at least P200 billion in profit since ASF was first confirmed in the country in 2019.

Meanwhile, Brazilian chicken meat exports to the Philippines would reach 235,000 MT, about 7.3 percent higher than the 219,501 MT, according to the ABPA.

Globally, Brazilian chicken meat exports would grow by 3.1 percent year-on-year to 5.3 million MT from 5.139 million MT last year, the ABPA added.

“In the international scenario, new market openings are expected in Central America and African countries, in addition to increased shipments to other Latin American and Asian nations, which should increase the diversification of destinations for our products,” Santin said.