Live hog prices remain stable in Brazil, opening up opportunities for increased exports.

Surveys by Cepea show that live pig prices in the São Paulo market have remained around R$ 8/kg since the beginning of October.

In Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, and Santa Catarina, prices have been operating at this level since mid-September. According to the Research Center, this stable scenario is linked to the strong balance between supply and demand for new batches of animals for slaughter by meatpacking plants.

Some agents consulted by Cepea indicate that the current level of trading prices may suggest that pig farmers are selling with positive profitability, while the industry is able to guarantee consumption at the final point of the market.

Regarding meat, the highlight is the strong external demand. Researchers emphasize that the interruption of Spanish shipments, following the confirmation of cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) in that country, could represent an opportunity for Brazil.

Spain is the largest pork producer in the European Union, and was also the world's largest exporter of the protein in 2023 (when the European Union was not considered a single bloc).