Brazil expands exports and starts selling animal-based pharmaceuticals to the Eurasian Economic Union

Brazilian agribusiness has just gained another international market opening. This time, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) authorized the import of animal by-products from Brazil for the manufacture of pharmaceutical extracts, also known as opotherapeutics. The authorization extends to all countries that make up the bloc: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.

The authorization came after the Russian health authority accepted the International Health Certificate model proposed by Brazil. This authorized the export of bovine and porcine retina, bovine prostate, bovine scapular cartilage, bovine ovaries and bovine thymus glands – inputs used by the pharmaceutical industry.

The new opening represents the 386th commercial achievement of Brazilian agribusiness since the beginning of 2023 and reinforces the strategy of diversifying the export agenda with a focus on sustainability and full use of livestock products.

According to federal government data, last year Brazil exported more than US$1.4 billion in agricultural products to EAEU countries, including items such as tobacco, leather and live plants. The new authorization has the potential to increase this volume with the entry of a new niche of products, pharmaceuticals of animal origin.