RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – As the largest producer of pork and the second-largest producer of chicken meat in Brazil, the southern state of Santa Catarina continues to expand markets and consolidate its international presence.
In the first half of 2021, the state exported more than 775,600 tons of meat, with sales exceeding US$1.5 billion – 5.6% more than in the same period last year.
The figures are published by the Ministry of Economy and analyzed by the Center for Socioeconomics and Agricultural Planning (Epagri/Cepa).
“Agribusiness is one of the engines of our economy and we are working to make it more and more competitive. Our actions are aimed at modernizing the field, the contribution of resources in the productive chain, and incentives for the rural environment to become more and more attractive,” stressed Governor Carlos Moisés to a local newspaper.
The excellent performance in international shipments is explained by high sales in important markets such as Saudi Arabia, Japan, Chile, China, and the Philippines.
For the entire year of 2020, Santa Catarina shipped 492,600 tons of chicken meat, generating sales of US$829.3 million.
With the export of 283,000 tons of pork, Santa Catarina businesses generated revenues of over US$705 million.
“You cannot talk about Santa Catarina without highlighting the strength of our agricultural industry. We have become an international reference in the production of quality food products and today we have access to the most competitive markets in the world. The result achieved in the first half of this year shows all this strength,” stressed the Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, Altair Silva.
Over the years, Santa Catarina has consolidated its position as a major supplier of animal protein, with a strong focus on animal health.
“The productive sector is overcoming challenges and continues to fulfill its mission to feed the world. The numbers also impact Santa Catarina’s economy by creating jobs and income throughout the production chain,” the secretary added.
With a differentiated health status that proves the quality of production, the meat from Santa Catarina is marketed in the most demanding countries in the world.