With a layer flock that is growing year on year and high levels of egg consumption at home, little surprise that Brazil’s presence in the international egg market is increasing. For the first quarter of this year, the country reported that, at 3,773 metric tonnes, egg exports rose by 142.5% in comparison with the first quarter of 2020.
Data from the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) reveals that egg exports in the first quarter were worth US$5.01 million, and that, in the month of March alone, the volume of eggs exported was 106.8% higher than in March 2020.
The association is confident, for a number of reasons, that export growth will continue its “strongly positive pace”.
More export destinations
According to the association’s president, Ricardo Santin, the export industry is experiencing notable growth, which should be helped by the recent opening of the Argentinean and Chilean markets for whole eggs. The proximity of these two markets will help to boost sales into Mercosur markets, further helping the sector’s performance, he believes.
In April, both Argentina and Chile issued health certificates permitting the import of Brazilian eggs. Argentina granted exports from the whole country, while Chile has allowed exports from only six states.
To date, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is been the overwhelming export market for Brazilian eggs, accounting for 72% of the total exported in the first quarter, and access to two new Latin American markets should give the export sector greater stability.
After the UAE, the primary destinations for Brazilian egg exports are Sierra Leone and Japan.
Brazil is home to a significant number of the region’s largest egg producing companies. With egg consumption in the country, at 251 per capita, relatively high for Latin America and, as the country’s layer flock continues to grow, export markets can be expected to become increasingly important for the country’s producers.
