EN 
PT_BR The fat cattle market registered an increase in value in April, driven by consistent demand and the performance of Brazilian beef exports. According to data from Agro Itaú BBA Consulting, the Cepea indicator advanced 3.7% in the period, raising the monthly average to R$ 363 per arroba, a value 15% higher than that observed in April 2025.
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During the first half of the month, the tighter supply helped support prices. However, the scenario changed in the second half of April, when slaughter schedules became more flexible. Although carcass prices remained firm, the fat cattle market underwent an adjustment, a movement that extended into the first days of May.
With this adjustment, the arroba closed the day on May 8th quoted at R$ 353, returning to the same level recorded at the end of March.
Meanwhile, the replacement market continued to show appreciation. The price of calves accumulated a 3.7% increase between the beginning of April and May 8th, reaching R$ of 3,425 per head. As a consequence, the exchange ratio remained pressured for ranchers. Currently, the sale of one finished steer allows the purchase of 2.16 calves, an index 3.2% lower than that recorded in April 2025.
In foreign trade, April was marked by a new record for the period. Brazilian exports of fresh beef totaled 252,000 tons, a volume 4.41% higher than that shipped in April of last year. With this result, accumulated shipments in the first four months of the year grew by 15% compared to the same period in 2025.
Photo: Fernando Dias
China remained the main destination for Brazilian beef. In April alone, shipments to the Asian country reached 135,000 tons, an increase of 261% compared to the same month of the previous year. In the accumulated total for the first four months of the year, sales to the Chinese market totaled 460,000 tons, a growth of 191% year-on-year.
In addition to the increase in export volume, the average price of foreign sales also appreciated. In April, the average reached US$6,240 per ton, an increase of US$7.31 compared to the previous year.
According to Itaú BBA Agro Consulting, despite the increase in exported meat prices, the appreciation of live cattle in dollars was even greater, reaching 7.9%. As a result, the export spread—an indicator that compares the price of exported beef with the value of live cattle—remained close to zero. A year ago, this index was at 3%.
