Brazilian beef exporters ‘still very keen’ to expand in PH 

Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (Abiec) sustainability director Fernando Sampaio. | PHOTO: Jordeene B. Lagare / Philippine Daily Inquirer

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL — Beef exporters in Brazil are “still very keen” on expanding their shipments to the Philippines as the export volume in the seven months ending July is equivalent to more than 80 percent of last year’s total.

The Philippines brought in 47,389.7 metric tons of beef as of July valued at $170,003, latest data from the Associação Brasileira das Indústrias Exportadoras de Carnes or Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (Abiec) showed.

This represents 84.3 percent of the 56,221.5 MT of Brazilian beef exports amounting to $210,835, mainly fresh beef (frozen deboned beef), that reached the country in 2023.

READ: Brazil ready to export more meat to PH

Abiec figures further showed that exports to the archipelago have been on an uptrend between 2018 and 2022 before dropping last year.

Fernando Sampaio, Abiec sustainability director, said the group remains interested in “growing our exports to the Philippines,” a key market for Brazilian beef produce in terms of price and product mix, which fit the demand nowadays.

“We see a lot of potential there… it was one very important buyer of canned products from Brazil but we have been there with the embassy doing some promotion,” Sampaio told Manila reporters on the sidelines of SIAVS 2024, the largest animal protein meeting here.

Abiec said it expects to ship an additional 10,000 MT of beef per month in “the next months.”

Sampaio also said the system accreditation obtained by Brazil for meat exports in March “makes [it] easier” to deliver more produce to the Southeast Asian country as the question of which companies can supply has been addressed.

He is referring to the system accreditation and prelisting establishment agreement between the Philippines and Brazil in March which allows exporters to supply meat as long as they are duly registered and authorized by Brazilian authorities.

Under this arrangement, Philippine authorities will no longer evaluate applicants and their respective submissions individually.

“This is a good sign that there can be more progress in the future,” he added.

The Philippines was one of the top 10 export destinations of Brazilian beef in the previous year with a market share of 2.45 percent.

China was the leading market for Brazilian beef exports, followed by the United States, Hong Kong, Chile and the European Union.

On a regional scale, Sampaio said the Abiec aims to expand its reach to other companies in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam to address the rising demand for meat due to population growth and rising income levels.