Brazil sets new April record for beef exports amid sustained surge
China and US lead destinations as four-month volumes climb nearly 30%
26 May 2026
1 minute read
By: Brazilian beef exports have maintained a strong pace since last year, with monthly volumes exceeding 200,000 tons every month since March 2025, according to data from Secex compiled by Cepea. Brazil shipped 953,606 tons of beef in the first four months of 2026, up 15.2% from the same period in 2025 and nearly 30% higher than the first four months of 2024.
April 2026 exports totalled 251,944 tons, the highest volume ever recorded for the month in the Secex historical series. Export revenues totalled USD $1.57 billion in April, up 15.6% from March and 29.4% from April 2025. In local currency, the figure was BRL 7.909 billion (USD $1.57 billion), up 11.2% and 12.6% over the same comparisons.
China remained the leading destination, importing 135,472 tons in April alone, up 32.8% from March. In the first four months of 2026, shipments to China totalled 460,888 tons, up 19.3% from the same period last year, when exports reached 386,351 tons.
The US was the second-largest destination, with 37,469 tons shipped in April. From January to April, the US imported 135,640 tons of Brazilian beef, accounting for 14% of Brazil's total beef exports during the period.
