Brazil: Livestock and Products Semi-annual

In 2023, Post forecasts that cattle production will grow 1.3 percent, to 48.5 million cattle head, as the Brazilian cattle sector reaches its peak in the production cycle. Cattle slaughter is expected to increase 2.8 percent due to elevated demand for beef exports and recovering domestic consumption. However, cattle producers are likely to face challenges of high production costs, potential droughts, and consequential damage to pasture. Post forecasts beef production to increase by 2.1 percent to 10.6 million tons CWE, of which 28 percent would be exported, amounting to 3 million tons CWE. For swine, in 2023 Post forecasts production to increase by 2.1 percent, reaching 45.8 million tons (CWE). As in 2022, swine and pork producers are likely to face elevated feed and production costs. Pork production is expected to grow 3.9 percent, reaching 4.52 million tons CWE, and it is anticipated that exports will increase by 7.4 percent and domestic production by 2.3 percent.