EN 
PT_BR 
Brazilian pig farming is experiencing one of the most favorable periods in recent years. With the combination of falling production costs and rising exports, producers' margins remain solid and above the historical average. According to data from Itaú BBA's Agro Consultancy, the sector's profitability reached approximately 25% in the first half of June, which represents a profit of approximately R$ 240 per finished animal, more than double that recorded a year ago, when the result per head was R$ 94.
Photo: Disclosure/OPR Archive
Price support comes amid a controlled production pace. Revised data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) show that pig slaughter in the first quarter of 2025 grew 1.6% compared to the same period in 2024. The average carcass weight increased 0.5%, leading to a total expansion of 2.1% in pork production. In the accumulated period from January to May, figures from the Federal Inspection Service (SIF) indicate an increase of only 0.7% over the same period last year, an increase considered moderate and within normal limits for the sector.
In international markets, Brazilian pork continues to gain ground. In May, shipments totaled 106,000 tons, a volume 16% higher than the same month in 2024 and a historical record for the period. In the accumulated total of the first five months of the year, exports grew 16.8% compared to 2024. In addition, the average price of exported meat rose 3.6% compared to April, reaching US$$ per ton, the highest nominal value recorded since 2016.
Even with the 30% drop in shipments to China, the diversification of destinations has sustained performance. Countries such as the Philippines and Japan have significantly increased their purchases,
Photo: Jose Fernando Ogura
with increases of 89% and 69% in the annual comparison, respectively.
In the domestic market, wholesale prices of live animals and half-carcass pork fell 1.4% in São Paulo in the first half of June. Despite the slight decline, the movement is considered discreet, especially when compared to the pressure faced by chicken meat, which fell 13% in the same period.
With a scenario of balanced supply, strong external demand and relief in costs, which fell 3% in May and another 2% in the first half of June, pig farming remains strong in 2025. The sector expects good margins to be sustained throughout the second half of the year.
