As Beijing's tariff approaches, Brazil's exporters are rapidly filling their quota for beef to China, prompting South American industry to seek new buyers. The benchmark price for finished cattle tracked by the University of Sao Paulo's Centre for Advanced Studies on Applied Economics hit R$365 (US$71.57) per arroba (11.5-15kg) on Wednesday, up 12.5 per cent over the past 12 months amid a rush to ship before the quota closes. Daily average shipments reached 10,630 tonnes, 8.6 per cent above March 2025 and 40.7 per cent above the same period in 2024.
Brazil's beef exporters are rushing shipments to China to meet their annual quota before the window closes, according to the South China Morning Post. The benchmark price for finished cattle, tracked by the Centre for Advanced Studies on Applied Economics at the University of Sao Paulo, reached R$365 (US$71.57) per arroba (11.5-15kg) on Wednesday—a 12.5 per cent gain over the past 12 months driven by the urgency to export.
Daily average exports hit 10,630 tonnes in April, 8.6 per cent above March 2025 levels and 40.7 per cent higher than the same period in 2024. Monthly export revenue approached R$7 billion (US$1.37 billion), with an average price of R$29,900 (US$5,863) per tonne.
Industry participants consider shipments beyond the quota threshold commercially unviable as Beijing's tariff looms. Brazilian exporters are now seeking alternative buyers in markets including Argentina, Uruguay, Hong Kong and South Korea to offload excess supply.
