Meat exports grow 23% in Paranaguá
In the first half of this year, 684 tons were exported, 23% more than in the same period last year. Regarding beef, this increase was even greater: 71,5%; in total, beef exports from the Port of Paranaguá generated foreign exchange revenue of almost US$1,47 billion – almost 18% more than the revenue collected in the first half of 2013.
State government - The volume of meat exported through the Port of Paranaguá is higher. In the first half of this year, 684 tons were exported, 23% more than in the same period last year. Regarding beef, this increase was even greater: 71,5%. In total, meat exports from the Port of Paranaguá generated foreign exchange revenue of almost US$1,47 billion – almost 18% more than the revenue collected in the first half of 2013.
From January to June, nearly 63 tons of beef were exported, mainly to Hong Kong (China), Venezuela, Egypt, Russia, and Iran. In the same period of 2013, the figure was almost 36,7 tons. Exports of the product generated more than US$279 million in revenue.
"Beef exports have increased significantly, but in terms of volume, chicken exports continue to stand out, generating more than one billion dollars in foreign exchange revenue in the first six months of this year," says Lourenço Fregonese, commercial director of the Paranaguá and Antonina Port Authority (Appa).
In the first half of this year, nearly 557 tons of chicken were exported – 20,5% more than last year's volume. The main destinations for this meat were countries such as Saudi Arabia, Japan, Hong Kong, China, and the United Arab Emirates.
Origin – The beef exported through the Port of Paranaguá in the first half of the year was produced in São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Paraná, Rondônia, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina, and Bahia (respectively, according to volume).
More than half of the chicken exported through the Paraná terminal was produced primarily within the state itself. The remainder came from states such as Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso, São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and some from Pernambuco, respectively.
OTHER MEATS – In addition to beef and chicken, pork (more than 25 tons), turkey (14 tons), horse meat (488 tons), and goat and other animal meat (more than 23 tons) were also exported.
Of the horse meat, the most exotic among those exported through the Port of Paranaguá, the main destinations were Russia (477 tons) and Italy (almost eleven tons). Almost all the horse meat exported is produced in the state itself. The volume exported this year, in the first half of the year, was almost 144% higher than that moved in the same period of 2013.
OPERATIONS – The (frozen) meats are exported through the Port of Paranaguá in containers that arrive at the port in two ways: either they arrive already prepared for export (stuffed and sealed at the production units) or they are stuffed in local warehouses. In the latter case, the main operator of frozen meat is the company Martini Meat Armazéns Gerais.
The company's structure in Paranaguá functions as a backport logistics support center, both in terms of warehouses (with a capacity of 27 tons), equipped for the main world markets, and with a container yard equipped with power outlets for refrigerated containers, to support exporters.
“We are a support service. We take care of the pre-shipment process, including warehousing, container loading and unloading, refrigerated goods recovery, palletizing, and other services, before the product is shipped,” explains the commercial director, Marcelo Ostrowski.
According to Ostrowski, the Port of Paranaguá has been standing out among other terminals in this meat export market, which explains this increase in activity. “The Port of Paranaguá is very well positioned in the meat export market. It has a number of advantages that make it very attractive and conducive to these operations. In addition to the state being one of the main producers of chicken and pork, we are able to bring in products from the Midwest, the interior of São Paulo, and Santa Catarina within the port's area of influence,” he states.
According to the commercial director of Martini Meat, the inauguration and start of operations at the third berth of the Container Terminal also contributed. “The terminal has an infrastructure (of almost two thousand power outlets) prepared to serve shipping lines worldwide. In addition, we have the presence of the Ministry of Agriculture with its structure and team here for inspection and control, which further streamlines operations at the Port of Paranaguá,” he concludes.