South America

Brazil Detects Classical Swine Fever in Remote Region

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:12:08 GMT

An outbreak of classical swine fever (hog cholera) has been reported in a remote region of Brazil on Oct. 6. The Brazil agricultural ministry says the discovery will have no impact on the country’s hog industry or pork exports.

The case was found on a rural property of Ceará, according to the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA). They add there is no risk of the disease impacting the country’s main production area.

The case is more than 300 miles away from the boundary of the free zone, which covers 17 Brazilian states. And more than 2,000 miles away from the main production and export area.

“There is no trade of pork products out of Ceará destined for Southeast, Mid-West and Southern (Brazilian) states, which minimizes the contamination risk further,” ABPA said.

The news will not alter the disease status of that region, and would not impact the trade of pork, the Brazilian agriculture ministry.

While classical swine fever is considered less severe disease impacts than African swine fever, it is more easily transmitted.

The Brazilian government said it was strengthening controls at the São Paulo international airport, to help prevent African swine fever by monitoring the entry of food products by passengers.

Russia Bans Brazilian Pork & Beef Amid Ractopomine Concerns

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:49:05 GMT

Russia banned pork from Brazil at a time that imports from the Latin American country, the biggest foreign supplier of the meat, have been rising and as the Kremlin has sought to encourage its own farm industry.

The government barred Brazilian pork and beef imports from Dec. 1, saying testing had found the muscle growth stimulant ractopamine, which is prohibited in Russia. A Brazilian lobby for the industry said the feed additive isn’t used in production of the exported meat, which adheres to Russian rules.
Total imports of pork to Russia are rising for the first year in four and may reach 300,000 metric tons, according to Russia’s National Pig Farmers Union. Supply from Brazil, which make up 90 percent of the shipments, are competing with local producers on price, the union said.

“Brazil was left alone as a major supplier,” Yury Kovalev, head of the union, said in Moscow. “They were reminded that we have certain requirements.”
Miratorg Agribusiness Holding and Ros Agro Plc are among Russian producers that stand to gain from import curbs. Miratorg’s President Viktor Linnik told the RBC newspaper last month that Brazil sells almost $1 billion of meat to Russia every year. As of Nov. 12, pork imports had risen about 13 percent from the same period a year earlier, the Agriculture Ministry said on its website, citing customs data.

Alternative Routes

Russia imported 230,395 tons of Brazilian pork this year through October, about 40 percent of the Latin American country’s total shipments, figures from Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry show. It also imported 131,083 tons of beef, about 11 percent of the total.

JBS SA, Brazil’s largest meat exporter, and BRF SA, its largest chicken and pork exporter, declined to comment on the ban. Brazil beef exporter Minerva SA will maintain shipments to Russia through units in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, it said in a statement. Marfrig Global Foods SA said Russia makes up just 3 percent of its Brazil beef exports.

“The industry is confident about the characteristics of its product, and ensures that shipped pork production does not use ractopamine,” the Brazilian Animal Protein Association lobby said in a statement.

Russia, the world’s biggest wheat exporter, is seeking to start sales of grain, vegetable oil and fish to Brazil, Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev said last month when he met his counterpart Blairo Maggi last month. Brazil sells more than it buys in the trade, he said. Brazil is seeking to expand sales of beef, pork and soybeans to Russia, Maggi said.

Copyright 2017, Bloomberg News

Strong Demand in CAFTA-DR Region Bolsters U.S. Pork Exports

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:31:17 GMT

With U.S. pork facing trade barriers in some of its largest destinations, building strong demand in Central America and the Dominican Republic has been especially critical for the U.S. pork industry.

Exports to Central America are coming off a record performance in 2018, and through April of this year were up another 11% in volume (29,321 metric tons) and 8% in value ($68.3 million).

Honduras and Guatemala are the largest Central American markets for U.S. pork, but growth leaders in 2019 include Costa Rica, where exports have increased more than 40% year-over-year, and Panama, where shipments are up more than 30%.

Exports to the Dominican Republic - the largest destination for U.S. pork in the region covered by the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) - are also ahead of last year’s record pace, with exports through April totaling 14,170 metric tons valued at $31.1 million.

Gerardo Rodriguez, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) regional marketing director for Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic, notes that educational programs have been an essential component of USMEF’s promotional efforts in the CAFTA-DR region, as more customers now appreciate the high quality of U.S. pork and understand the importance of not overcooking the product.

He adds that U.S. pork has benefited tremendously from the market access gains secured in CAFTA-DR. By lowering tariff rates and creating larger tariff rate quotas (TRQs), this agreement has expanded opportunities for a wide range of U.S. pork cuts in the region’s retail, foodservice and processing sectors.

Gulke: Grain Under Pressure with Better Conditions in SA

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:30:55 GMT

With South America getting much needed moisture and the market currently looking at more grain supply than demand, pressure continues to weigh on the grains market and soy complex, says Jerry Gulke, president of the Gulke Group. While grain and soy exports are behind expectations, livestock exports are staying fairly positive.

“Right now it’s a matter of consuming a lot and producing a little too much,” Gulke says.

Also this week, the Gulke Group wrapped up their annual December Outlook Conference in Chicago. Despite current problems and volatility within the agriculture industry, the majority of the speakers agreed on one thing—production ag is the best place to be and farmers wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Listen to the full highlights from the conference and all of Gulke’s commentary on this week’s market action on Weekend Market Report.

Brazil Detects Classical Swine Fever in Remote Region

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 05:07:53 GMT

The case is more than 300 miles away from the boundary of the free zone, which covers 17 Brazilian states. And more than 2,000 miles away from the main production and export area.

“There is no trade of pork products out of Ceará destined for Southeast, Mid-West and Southern (Brazilian) states, which minimizes the contamination risk further,” ABPA said.

The news will not alter the disease status of that region, and would not impact the trade of pork, the Brazilian agriculture ministry.

While classical swine fever is considered less severe disease impacts than African swine fever, it is more easily transmitted.

The Brazilian government said it was strengthening controls at the São Paulo international airport, to help prevent African swine fever by monitoring the entry of food products by passengers.