Brazil's per‑capita pork consumption hits 19.5 kg in 2024, marking a 35% rise over a decade

Official IBGE slaughter data released in March 2024 show Brazil's per‑capita pork consumption at 19.52 kg for the year, up roughly 35 % since 2015 and making pork the animal protein that has grown most in the Brazilian diet. Pig production was broadly unchanged from 2023, rising by 1.2 % in head count and 0.6 % in carcass weight, with modest declines in Santa Catarina and Paraná and gains of over 2 % in Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo and Ceará.

Exports of fresh pork increased by about 12 % in the first two months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, with buyers shifting from China toward the Philippines, Japan and Mexico. Despite strong export performance, domestic pork prices fell in early March after earlier increases. Industry bodies note that pork consumption has risen 34.9 % nationwide in the last ten years and project a further increase to 21 kg per person by 2026. The growth is attributed to improved animal‑health standards, technological advances in pig farming, and the protein’s affordability and nutritional value. In Espírito Santo, production lagged behind local demand, highlighting expansion opportunities for the sector.