Brazil exported 34,868 tons of pork in January, a decrease of 13.1 per cent compared to the same period of 2013 (40,119 tonnes), reports the Brazilian pork exporters association, Abipecs. Revenue was US$90.27 million, 13.7 per cent was lower than in January 2013, and the average price was down by 0.73 per cent.

Russia was the main destination of Brazilian pork, with a share of 34.6 per cent in exports of the month, followed by Hong Kong, with 26.5 per cent, and Angola, with 11.6 per cent. The same sequence was found in terms of the value of those exports: Russia in first place with 41.4 per cent, Hong Kong, with 24.2 per cent, and Angola, with 7.3 per cent. Ukraine does not appear among the top destinations.

Saldanha Rui Eduardo Vargas, president of Abipecs said that these trends were expected; production is lower, domestic demand remains strong and exports tend to be lower at the start of the calendar year. It is normal to a fall in exports in January and February, he added, with export sales expected to pick up in March.

Shipments to Russia totalled 12,051 tonnes with a value of $37.34 million in January, an increase of 0.93 per cent in volume and 6.79 per cent in value, compared with January 2013.

Sales to Ukraine dropped by 96 per cent to just 244 tonnes, resulting in a turnover of $815,000, which was 95.5 per cent down from January 2013.

Compared with the same month of 2013, January's sales to Hong Kong rose by 9.0 per cent in volume to 9,232 tonnes and by 6.1 per cent in value (to $21.9 million).

Argentina continues to reduce its purchases from Brazil. In January, sales were down by 53.8 per cent by volume (to 721 tonnes) and by 53.2 per cent in value ($1.35 million), compared to the same period the year past.

Other top destination from Barailian pork in January were: Angola, 4,048 tonnes, 11.6 per cent; Singapore, 2,324 tonnes, 6.7 per cent and Uruguay, 1,283 tonnes, 3.7 per cent.