Paraguay: Possible 50% tariff by the U.S. on Brazilian beef worries the local meat sector

The national meat sector is eagerly awaiting what might happen between Brazil and the U.S., where the latter seeks to apply a 50% tariff on all imports from the neighboring country, including beef, starting from August 1.

In communication with La Nación/Nación Media, the president of the Paraguayan Chamber of Meats, Randy Ross, affirmed that it is expected that this scenario will not occur, because if the tariff is applied, it will result in Brazilian volumes going to common markets, such as Chile, affecting national exports. "The U.S. is the largest market for Brazilian meat and, indeed, if they do not negotiate and apply the tariff, Brazil will no longer export to that country and will divert its large volume to other markets where we are in common," he commented. The president of the CPC maintained that, as Chile is a very important market for Paraguay and receives the large volumes from the U.S., prices would collapse. "That is what we are fearing as an industry," he stated. He assured that it will negatively affect meat shipments to the destination, because the volume from Brazil is very large and if that goes to other markets, they cannot absorb that quantity. "We will inevitably have a price ...