Close to 13,000 hogs perish in Brazil flood-hit state
Rio Grande do Sul accounts for 24.24% of Brazil's pork exportsHog farmers in Rio Grande do Sul, which accounts for a quarter of all Brazilian pork exports, lost an estimated 12,600 animals after floods submerged entire towns and destroyed critical infrastructure in Brazil's southernmost state, reported Reuters.
In an interview on Monday, Valdecir Folador, head of a hog producers lobby in the state called ACSURS, said some 30 farms were affected by the deadly flooding, including properties operated by suppliers to BRF SA and JBS SA's Seara processed foods division.
Folador said it took two weeks for ACSURS to estimate the losses.
The companies did not have an immediate comment.
Rio Grande do Sul accounts for 24.24% of overall Brazilian pork exports, according to data compiled by the industry's national lobby ABPA, which represents the nation's biggest por and chicken processors.
The port of Rio Grande, also disrupted by floods and landslides that blocked roads and affected a rail link to its terminals, ships nearly 9% of Brazil's overall pork exports, according to ABPA data.
Folador said the total number of hogs on farms in Rio Grande do Sul is around 5 million, noting hog deaths directly related to the floods were relatively small compared with the size of the herd statewide.
He pondered, however, there will be other indirect losses to farmers and companies, especially because floods have blocked roads and cut access to food and water supplies for some days on certain properties.
According to Folador, lack of feed contributed to a reduction of animal weight on farms where food had to be rationed and female animals were nursing offspring.
Farmers supplying BRF's plant in the Lajeado area were among the most affected by the floods, Folador said, estimating they lost at least 60% of all hogs who died from the catastrophic rains.
That plant can process 3,000 hogs per day, he noted.