Brazil Is the Big Beef Winner From China’s Hunt for Protein
China’s effort to fill a protein gap created by the spread of African swine fever is rippling through Brazil’s massive beef industry, pushing up prices and profits for both cattle ranchers and meatpackers.
While China has been increasing local poultry production and raising pork imports from several suppliers, Brazil is the only big beef exporter able to meet China’s demand. That’s leading Chinese importers to buy all types of cuts, raising prices along the Brazilian chain, from calves to animals ready for slaughter.
Brazilian beef shipments to China jumped 62% last month from a year ago as China approves more plants to export. Both wholesale beef and cattle prices jumped about 30% this month, according to figures from Cepea, the University of Sao Paulo research arm.
Tatiana Freitas
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