Brazil ready to export more meat to PH

Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) president Ricardo Santin leads the press conference with foreign journalists ahead of the SIAVS 2024, Brazil’s largest animal protein meeting. (Photo courtesy of ABPA)

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL — More exporters from Brazil may be able to sell meat products to the Philippines this year, resulting in increased meat exports after gaining expanded access.

Luis Rua, markets director of the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (Abpa), said on Monday that securing the system accreditation from the Philippine government was enabling other exporters to meet the increasing demand for this commodity.

“The Philippines has more options of providers in addition to those that use exports from Santa Catarina state and enables other provinces of Brazil to export to the Philippines,” Rua said in a press conference with foreign journalists ahead of the SIAVS 2024, the largest animal protein meeting here.

“This helps in the competitiveness and we have good expectations,” he added.

In March, the Brazilian government announced that it had forged system accreditation and prelisting establishment agreement with authorities in Manila.

Under this arrangement, all Brazilian companies may apply for accreditation to export meat as long as they are qualified by the Federal Inspection System, an agency here responsible for ensuring the quality of meat for local and domestic markets.

The technical missions of Philippine authorities will now focus on validating the system instead of evaluating plants and pertinent documents individually, as what had been done in the past.

Rua also said Brazilian exporters were prepared to meet any supply gap caused by the prevalence of African swine fever that “decimated parts of the world.”

Since the 2019 outbreak, the animal disease has affected 74 out of 82 provinces nationwide. Based on estimates, the hog industry has lost more than P200 billion.

Abpa president Ricardo Santin said Brazilian exporters have the “capability” to beef up hog supply through “complementarity,” meaning they can ship meat products while preserving the local industry. INQ