Brazilian beef exports diversify in August as China’s purchases fall
Brazil exported 195,700 tonnes of beef in August, down 27.1% year on year, as shipments to China fell 89.8%. Other destinations bought a record 179,600 tonnes, while EU-27 imports reached a monthly high of 20,300 tonnes.
China drives the decline in August shipments
Brazil exported 195,700 tonnes of beef in August, down 27.1% from 268,400 tonnes in the same month of 2025, according to calculations by Terra Investimentos/Terra Agro Insights based on data from the Foreign Trade Secretariat, Secex. Average daily shipments fell at the same rate, from 12,780 tonnes to 9,320 tonnes. The contraction was concentrated in China rather than spread evenly across Brazil’s overseas markets.
China received just 16,100 tonnes during the month, an 89.8% year-on-year decline. It accounted for 8.2% of Brazilian beef exports in August. By contrast, the 108 destinations outside China purchased a combined 179,600 tonnes, up 62.6% from a year earlier and, according to Terra Agro Insights analyst Geraldo Isoldi, the largest monthly volume Brazil has ever exported when China is excluded.
Higher prices partly cushioned the effect on revenue. The average value of exported beef rose 10.1% year on year to US$6.17 per kilogram. Export revenue consequently declined less sharply than physical volume, falling 19.7% to US$1.207 billion. Brazil’s cumulative beef exports in 2026 reached 1.918 million tonnes.
United States, Russia and Chile absorb more beef
The United States became the leading destination in August, buying 31,300 tonnes, up 389.8% year on year. Terra noted that the comparison was against a depressed base: Brazil shipped only 6,400 tonnes to the US in August 2025 after the Donald Trump administration imposed additional tariffs. Brazilian beef exceeding traditional quotas then faced a combined tariff of as much as 76.4%.
Russia ranked next with 21,000 tonnes, a 69.4% increase, while Chile purchased 17,300 tonnes, up 47.8%. Saudi Arabia took 8,200 tonnes, an increase of 132.5%, and Italy bought 7,600 tonnes, 56.9% more than a year earlier. Compared with the average monthly pace from January through July 2026, Russia increased purchases by 12,100 tonnes, or 136%. Italy accelerated by 190.5%, the Netherlands by 151.5%, Libya by 259.1% and Chile by 35.9%.
The EU-27 imported 20,300 tonnes of Brazilian beef in August, its highest monthly volume and more than twice the July total. Terra linked the surge to buyers bringing purchases forward before new European Union restrictions on Brazilian animal-origin products took effect on September 3. The record therefore reflects both broader diversification and a regulatory deadline that may make the August pace difficult to sustain.
Beef producers still face a demand test
For Brazilian cattle producers and meatpackers, the 27.1% overall volume decline points to less export-driven throughput despite stronger demand outside China. If Chinese purchases remain weak, slaughterhouse buying interest and cattle prices will depend increasingly on whether the United States, Russia, Chile and other destinations can maintain their August volumes. The 10.1% increase in the average export price provides some protection to industry revenue, but it does not fully offset the loss of tonnage.
Brazil’s other major animal proteins performed more strongly. Chicken meat exports increased to 457,990 tonnes from 373,590 tonnes in August 2025, with the daily average rising 22.59% to 21,810 tonnes. Cumulative 2026 poultry shipments reached 3.656 million tonnes. Pork exports rose to 114,620 tonnes from 107,510 tonnes, while the daily average increased 6.61% to 5,460 tonnes. Pork shipments for the year totaled 914,410 tonnes, reinforcing a more favorable export picture for poultry and pork producers than for the beef industry.
