Prices for fed cattle, calf and beef are firm in Brazil

Cepea, June 17, 2025

CATTLE – Quotations were firm in the first fortnight of June in the domestic cattle market. Many players from meatpackers increased values, since delivery windows were short, between 4 and 10 days. The CEPEA/ESALQ Index for fed cattle (São Paulo State) rose 2.7% this month (up to June 16), to close at BRL 314.35 on June 16.

Concerning the markets of calf and lean cattle, liquidity increased. However, Cepea researchers indicate that the low supply has been limiting lean cattle trades.

As for the beef market, prices moved up due to the good pace of sales in the first fortnight of June. Beef carcass values rose 3.27% this month (until June 16) in the wholesale market of the Greater São Paulo, to close at BRL 22.08/kg on June 16.

As for exports, the revenue obtained with in natura beef sales was 18% higher in May compared to May 2024. In the accumulated of the first five months of this year, the total hit BRL 5.8 billion, 22% more than in the same period last year. This is a result of increases of 10% for the volume and for prices in dollar.

SWINE – Brazil shipped 117.5 thousand tons of pork in May, downing 8.1% compared to April, but 13.7% more than that verified in May 2024. Brazil has been exporting more than 100 thousand tons of pork meat per month, which is a landmark for the sector. The daily average of pork meat exports was at 5 thousand tons in May, below that in April (5.5 thousand tons) – data from Secex.

The revenue obtained with sales to the international market amounted BRL 1.64 billion last month, for a decrease of 5.2% compared to April, but upping 42.6% in relation to the same month last year.

POULTRY – After consecutive price decreases of corn and soybean meal, the purchase power of chicken farmers in São Paulo has moved down in the partial of June. This is a result of more significant price drops of live chicken in the period. If this pace continues up to the end of June, this trend may interrupt the two-month sequence of increases in the purchase power against corn and the period of seven months in relation to soybean meal.

The availability of chicken meat was higher than the demand in the domestic market in early June because of the restrictions to exports, due to the incidence of bird flu in Montenegro (Rio Grande do Sul state) on May 15.

(Cepea-Brazil)