Brazil keen for slice of African beef market

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While Brazil continues its journey to penetrate the broader Asian beef market, exporters of Brazilian red meat are also eager to target African countries, including SA, as long-term export destinations of scale.

This is according to Roberto Perosa, the president of the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (Abiec), speaking at the Association for Brazilian Animal Protein’s (Abpa’s) International Animal Protein Trade Show in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Wednesday.

Asked which markets would be key to the growth of beef production and exports for Brazil, he said the African continent was a uniquely placed market due to its young population and growing incomes.

“As economic conditions improve on the African continent and demand continues to grow, it would be great to send beef products into that region. Right now, we are focused on Asia as a key strategic market, but as things develop, Africa has the potential to become a major market for Brazilian beef.”

According to Abiec, China is now the largest destination for Brazilian beef exports, importing 48% of Brazil’s export stock in 2025. Beef exports represent almost 4% of the total goods exported by the country, valued at $337bn (R5.5-trillion), and 8% of total goods exported by the agricultural sector.

According to the World Bank, Africa is projected to show considerable growth, in imports and population, by 2050. Africa’s population is expected to reach 2.5-billion, and the world’s population a massive 9.7-billion.

In a report, Abpa said this data presented a major opportunity for Brazil, one of the world’s largest meat producers. “Population growth, combined with an increase in income, must generate a significant increase in the demand for food worldwide, especially animal protein.”

The report added that Brazil’s recognition as a foot-and-mouth disease-free area by the World Organisation for Animal Health was critical for Brazilian producers.

According to the World Bank, economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa was projected to rise from 3.3% in 2024 to 3.5% in 2025, and is now expected to accelerate further to 4.3% in 2026/27.

This, coupled with rapid urbanisation across the continent, created the makings of a strong, emerging middle-class consumer market, perfect for Brazil’s export requirements, added the World Bank statement.