Despite smaller shipments to leading market Russia, Paraguay’s beef/beef variety meat exports through April were up 12 percent year-over-year to 84,272 metric tons (mt). Lower exports to Russia (38,747 mt, -23 percent) were offset by larger volumes to Chile (14,629 mt, +597 percent), Brazil (7,905 mt, +12 percent), Hong Kong (6,549 mt, +68 percent) and Israel (5,795 mt, +46 percent). Chile reopened to Paraguayan beef in December 2012 after an FMD-related closure, but exports did not regain traction until August of last year.

Uruguay’s beef/bvm exports were lower (101,043 mt, -4 percent) through the first four months of the year but did rebound in April (29,987 mt, +8 percent), reflecting some recovery in beef production and strong demand from China, Russia and the United States. Even with an April rebound, Uruguay’s cattle slaughter is down 13 percent year-to-date, which has limited its 2014 export volumes. Chilled beef exports through April were also lower (13,999 mt, -15 percent) as growth to the EU was offset by smaller volumes for Chile and Brazil.