Brazil: Pig industry performance in 2022

 Key variables in Brazilian pig production in 2022.

Prepared by 333 Latin America based on data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and COMEX STAT.

Slaughter of pigs reached 56 million heads, up 5.7% from 53 million heads in 2021. Pork production increased by 5.2% year-on-year, from 4.9 million metric tons (Mt) to 5.2 million. 

Imports amounted to 9760 tons (t), which is 73.3% more than in 2021 (5630 t). Exports decreased by 1.6% compared to the previous year, from 1.11 million tons to 1.10 million tons.

Apparent consumption reached 4.07 Mt, up 7.3% from 3.79 Mt in 2021, while per capita consumption was estimated at 19.5 kg per person.

The performance of the pig industry in 2022 was accompanied by significant increases in production costs and marked volatility in producer prices. However, both pig slaughter and pork production showed significant growth, which contributed to higher consumption, resulting in per capita consumption rising to almost 20 kg per person.

On the other hand, EXPORT activity continued to consolidate despite a slight decline compared to the previous year. The latest forecast from the USDA estimates a 4% growth in exports in 2023, suggesting greater participation of Brazilian pork in international markets.