Brazilian fed cattle prices recover late in May on export surge
Monthly average still down 1.34% despite strong end-of-month rebound
9 June 2026
1 minute read
By: Fed cattle prices in Brazil edged higher in late May, bucking the typical end-of-month demand slowdown, driven by strong beef export volumes and tight animal supply, according to Cepea.
The CEPEA/ESALQ Index for São Paulo state opened May at around BRL 350/head (USD 63.60), dipped to BRL 340 (USD 61.78) mid-month, then recovered to close at BRL 349.70 (USD 63.55) on May 29. Despite the late rally, prices were still down 1.34% in the monthly accumulated.
Exports of fresh beef surpassed 200,000 tonnes in the partial month, averaging 13,565 tonnes per day compared with 10,381 tonnes on the same basis a year earlier. If the pace holds, total volumes could exceed 270,000 tonnes for the month, which would set a new monthly record, according to data from Secex.
