Brazil tops beef exporters, with India in second

The South American country, which has an estimated 210 million cattle, appears to have overcome the rotten meat scandal which rocked the industry in 2017.

That scandal saw the suspension of 33 government officials and closure of plants, with allegations that some major processors had been selling rotten beef and poultry. Operation Weak Flesh centred on of abattoir managers bribing health inspectors and politicians to obtain export certificates for their products.

According to the USDA, China and Hong Kong with growing demand in Egypt and Chile are driving exports. Russia is also back in the mix after lifting bans on Brazilian meat products following last year’s scandal. 

India – which has significant carabeef production from buffaloes in addition to beef from cattle – came in second with 1.9mt. The USDA ranks India as having the largest cattle and buffalo herd in the world, with an estimated 305 million head. Carabeef makes up about 40pc of exports.

In global rankings Australia comes in third with 1.62mt from its modest 26.2 million head herd. 

The US is the only other country topping the million tonne mark, sending 1.372mt to export markets.  

New Zealand fills out the globe’s top five beef exporters, with 560,000t. 

Brazil is significant player in the grainfed market, with some 30 million cattle on feed. It is also a minor player in live export market, shipping about 300,000 head. However, this market appears to be growing, despite ongoing attacks by anti-live export activists using the courts in attempts to stop exports to Turkey. 

Toby Doak, a nutritional adviser from animal health company Alltech, led a tour of Australian producers in Brazil earlier this year.

“On the ground the feeding systems and production techniques are on par with Australia,” Mr Doak said. 

“The challenges are in the genetics of the leaner Nelor-based cattle, the lack of traceability, and the instability of government.”