After sharp downward movements in the last weeks of April, Average live hog trading prices closed the month of April lower in all markets monitored by [the relevant authority]. Cepea/Esalq-USPIn SP-5 (Bragança Paulista, Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo and Sorocaba), the animal accumulated a significant real devaluation, exceeding 30% in 2026, considering the comparison between the average of April and that of December/25 (deflated by the IGP-DI of March/26). This was the most intense drop for this period, considering the entire Cepea series, which began in 2002.
Prices and exports
Brazil exported 138,300 tons of pork in April, the highest volume for this month, considering the historical series from Secex (Secretariat of Foreign Trade), which began in 1997. The volume shipped decreased by 9.1% compared to March (152,200 tons), but increased by 8.2% compared to April 2025 (127,800 tons).
Exchange rate and inputs
Even with drops in corn and soybean prices, pig farmers in São Paulo registered a considerable loss in purchasing power in relation to these two inputs, due to downward movements in live pig prices. In the corn market, according to the Cepea Grains Team, negotiations were limited, with demand still weakened, and consumers prioritized the use of existing stocks and acquired new lots only sporadically.
Competing meats
Prices for chilled chicken were high in April. Regarding competing meats, beef and pork, prices showed distinct movements in Greater São Paulo: beef prices rose, while pork prices fell sharply. In this scenario, chilled chicken showed its highest competitiveness against beef in four years. In contrast, chicken prices were also at their lowest since 2022.
This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.