Brazil's Pork Exports Top 1 Million Tonnes in Eight Months as Japan and China Buying Surges
Brazil shipped 131,100 tonnes of pork in August 2026, up 8% year on year, pushing January–August volumes past 1 million tonnes for the first time, according to ABPA. Revenue for the eight months reached $2.447 billion, up 4.8%, but August receipts slipped 1.7% as unit prices weakened. Japan lifted purchases 92.9% and China 45.9%, offsetting sharp declines in the Philippines and Chile.
Brazil exported 131,100 tonnes of pork, including fresh and processed products, in August 2026, an increase of 8% against the same month of 2025, according to data from the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) reported by Brasil 247 and Itatiaia.
The volume gain did not translate into higher receipts. August shipments generated $289.9 million, down 1.7% from $294.9 million a year earlier. Itatiaia put the monthly figure at $289.8 million and attributed the decline to swings in international prices.
A first for the sector
The cumulative January-to-August total reached 1.057 million tonnes, 8.9% above the 970,300 tonnes shipped in the same period of 2025. It is the first time Brazil has crossed 1 million tonnes of pork exports within a single year, and the mark was reached with four months of the calendar still to run.
Accumulated revenue rose 4.8%, from $2.335 billion in the first eight months of 2025 to $2.447 billion this year. ABPA president Ricardo Santin linked the milestone to the consistency of global demand, saying the larger volumes directed to Japan, China and Vietnam demonstrate the competitiveness of Brazilian pork and the sector's strategy of diversifying destinations.
Volume grows faster than value
The unit values implied by ABPA's volume and revenue data point to softer pricing. Over the eight months, exports averaged roughly $2,315 per tonne, against approximately $2,406 per tonne in the same period of 2025. The gap between an 8.9% rise in tonnage and a 4.8% rise in revenue is the clearest indicator in the data set of where the market has moved.
Destinations shift
The Philippines remained the leading buyer of Brazilian pork in August at 23,300 tonnes, but that figure was 30.4% below the same month a year earlier. The steepest growth among the main customers came from Japan, which raised imports by 92.9% to 16,500 tonnes. China increased purchases by 45.9% to 15,200 tonnes.
Other Asian markets also expanded. Vietnam took 8,300 tonnes, up 38.3%, and Singapore imported 6,600 tonnes, a gain of 25.2%. Chile moved in the opposite direction, cutting purchases by 40% to 8,000 tonnes.
- Philippines: 23,300 tonnes, down 30.4%
- Japan: 16,500 tonnes, up 92.9%
- China: 15,200 tonnes, up 45.9%
- Chile: 8,000 tonnes, down 40%
- Vietnam: 8,300 tonnes, up 38.3%
- Singapore: 6,600 tonnes, up 25.2%
Santa Catarina holds the lead
Santa Catarina again ranked as the largest exporting state in August. Brasil 247 reported shipments of 64,100 tonnes from the state, while Itatiaia gave the figure as 64,000 tonnes; both cited a 12.6% increase over August 2025.
Rio Grande do Sul was second with 30,400 tonnes, a fall of 3.3%. Parana shipped 22,800 tonnes, up 24.3%. Mato Grosso exported 4,000 tonnes, an increase of 25.3%, and Minas Gerais shipped 3,200 tonnes, up 25.7%.
The pattern within Brazil mirrors the pattern abroad: growth is concentrated in a handful of origins and destinations, with the two established leaders in each group — Rio Grande do Sul at home and the Philippines abroad — contracting while newer or recovering channels expand. ABPA's figures cover the full pig meat segment, combining fresh cuts and industrialised products.
