The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle and pigs in Germany could increase demand for Brazilian meat, assesses the Secretary of Commerce and International Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture, Luis Rua.
“We never support the misfortune of others, but it can have a positive impact on Brazil. Germany is one of the largest exporters of pork and beef in the world. […] It is a space for Brazil to work on beef and expand pork,” he told CNN.
Germany is responsible for a large part of global exports of these products and is the main supplier to markets such as the United Kingdom, Vietnam and South Korea, where Brazilian beef and pork still has little or no access.
Rua highlighted that, in 2020, the outbreak of African swine fever, a viral disease that affects pigs and wild boars and has no cure but is not transmissible to humans, caused Germany to lose a third of its pork exports to China , main commercial partner.
Since then, the country has not fully recovered, reducing shipments from one million tonnes annually to around 333,000 tonnes.
For him, this history indicates the possibility of Brazil filling the vacuum left in the market. Next month, a delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture will visit Vietnam to promote Brazilian products, including meat.
“I’m going to travel to Vietnam next month and try to make Brazil available. Show that, once again, Brazil is available and has a foot-and-mouth disease-free status and, if necessary, Brazil can supply pork and beef with the best possible quality”, he stressed.
Outbreak in Germany
Germany recorded an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in buffaloes last Friday (10), the first since the 1980s, as confirmed by the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO). The outbreak involved a herd of 14 buffaloes, of which three were infected.
Upon identifying the case, the German government adopted immediate containment measures, such as the slaughter of all infected animals, a temporary ban on the transport of species susceptible to the disease and the tracking of herds within a three-kilometer radius of the outbreak.
As a precaution, around 200 pigs from a nearby property will also be slaughtered.
Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and buffaloes. Symptoms include fever, excessive salivation, loss of appetite and the formation of painful blisters in the mouth and hooves, impacting the health and productivity of livestock.
Although it does not pose direct risks to human health or food safety, foot-and-mouth disease can be spread by humans who come into contact with infected animals, contaminated products or agricultural equipment.
In Brazil, foot-and-mouth disease has not been recorded since 2006, consolidating the country as a global reference in the animal protein trade. In May 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture declared Brazil free of the disease without vaccination.
