Pork market remains buoyant in the South of the country, driven by exports and low supply

The pork market has shown strong appreciation in recent weeks, especially in the southern region of Brazil. According to Losivanio Luiz de Lorenzi, president of the Santa Catarina Association of Pork Breeders (ACCS), this scenario is the result of two main factors: the good performance of exports and the shortage of animals available for slaughter, especially among independent producers.

“Exports are reaching record volumes month after month and prices in dollars, when converted to reais, have yielded very positive results. This has been a differentiator in the formation of prices in the domestic market,” Lorenzi highlighted. He also explains that the international scenario, marked by trade tensions between the United States and China, favors Brazil, especially Santa Catarina, which has a differentiated health status and is the only state authorized to export pork to countries such as the United States, Japan and Mexico.

The low supply of pigs, especially those of smaller weights, has led large companies and cooperatives to intensify their demand on the independent market to meet both domestic demand and the demands of the foreign market. “The lack of light pigs means that producers are able to achieve better results in sales. Industries are buying what they can find on the independent market to export, especially products with traceability,” he commented.

This trend is expected to continue in the coming weeks, with an expected increase on the eve of Mother's Day, a date that traditionally increases the consumption of animal protein. Losivanio believes that this increase in demand should result in a new appreciation in prices. He also highlights the importance of producers continuing to pay attention to the health of their livestock, ensuring not only good export performance, but also the quality of the product destined for the domestic market, which continues to grow.

“The quality of what is produced on our properties needs to be maintained. Consumers are increasingly demanding, and our product needs to continue to be a reference on supermarket shelves,” concluded the president of ACCS.