FAO Meat Price Index Rises 1% in March as Pork and Beef Gains Outweigh Poultry and Lamb Declines

The meat price index of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) averaged 127.7 points in March, 1.2 points or 1% higher than the previous month, according to figures reported by Interempresas. The increase was driven mainly by higher pork prices, alongside a modest rise in beef quotations, while sheep meat and poultry prices declined.

Pork leads the increase

Pork prices rose sharply, driven by higher quotations in the European Union amid strengthening seasonal demand. The pork market provided the main upward pressure on the overall index during the month.

For importers and exporters, the EU move is the signal to watch: seasonal demand tightened the market and pushed quotations up, shaping the price environment for buyers sourcing from European suppliers.

Beef supported by Brazil

Global beef prices also rose, led by Brazil, where reduced cattle availability limited exportable supplies against a backdrop of firm global demand. This was partly offset by price stability in Australia, underpinned by abundant availability.

The split between the two major exporters is central to the beef trade flow. Tighter Brazilian supply lifted prices, while steady Australian output kept a lid on the wider increase, leaving beef quotations only modestly higher on the month.

Sheep meat and poultry ease

Sheep meat prices declined on the back of increased export supplies from New Zealand. Higher prices in Australia, supported by sustained demand in the main markets, partly mitigated the fall. That support came despite higher tariffs imposed by the United States and logistical constraints affecting access to Near East markets.

Poultry prices edged down, a consequence of weaker quotations in Brazil amid abundant supply and stable import demand. Shipments to the main Near East destinations were redirected via the Red Sea, a routing shift relevant to exporters serving those markets.

What it means for traders

The March reading points to a divergence across proteins rather than a broad move in one direction. Pork and beef are firming on supply constraints and seasonal demand, while poultry and sheep meat are softening on ample availability from Brazil and New Zealand respectively.

• Pork: higher on EU seasonal demand.
• Beef: higher, led by tighter Brazilian supply, cushioned by Australian availability.
• Sheep meat: lower on New Zealand export supply, partly offset by Australian demand.
• Poultry: slightly lower on weaker Brazilian quotations and stable import demand.

For buyers, the cross-protein picture argues for tracking each supply chain separately. The tariff and logistics factors affecting sheep meat, together with the Red Sea rerouting of poultry shipments, add cost and timing considerations that sit alongside the headline price moves.