Brazil’s pork consumption up 17% in 5 years

Brazil’s Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE) revealed last month that Brazilians ate 16.86kg of pork per capita last year. That is an increase of 16.5% in comparison to 5 years earlier (2015), when the Brazilians consumed 14.47kg altogether.

Growth of pork products in supermarkets

Most part is due to a growth of this type of animal protein in supermarkets during the last half year. Consultancy company Horus said that pig meat has doubled its presence at purchases since mid-last year. For every 100 purchases, just 1 contained pork in July last year. In the 2nd half of 2021, that number rose to 2 purchases of pork meat per 100.

One other factor was the strong rise of beef prices since last year, which pushed consumers to purchase pig meat as an alternative to red meat.

As a result of the pandemic, the volume of items consumed within households in all income groups grew by 4% when compared to 2019.

Hams were favourite with Brazilian consumers

(Cured) hams were the products of choice by 8.5 million families and another 4.5 million bought sausages. The Brazilian Association of Pig Breeders (ABCS) applauded those numbers. For Marcelo Lopes, the association’s president, the work carried out by the entity on promoting pig meat consumption is taking advantage in market´s opportunities.

He analysed, “We celebrate the results as we work every day to achieve them. Pork is once again showing itself as one of the fastest growing animal proteins in Brazil, and we know it still has a lot of ground to grow.”

According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Brazil was in the top-6 meat consumption per capita (78 kg) in 2019, but its inhabitants still prefer beef and poultry above pork.

Read also: Brazilian cooperative Lar invests €370 million in poultry and pig chains

Promoting pork at markets, restaurants and butchers

Lívia Machado, ABCS director of marketing and projects, said that animal protein consumption will increase this year. She concluded, “ABCS is promoting pork at markets, restaurants and butchers, seeking to further strengthen competitiveness in terms of prices and benefits offered and reach a new audience.”