Brazil Meat Exports Weather Iran War Disruptions With Rerouted Shipments

Brazil's beef and chicken exporters are navigating the fallout from the Iran conflict with measured confidence, absorbing higher logistics costs and finding alternative routes to keep Middle Eastern markets supplied. While the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has complicated trade flows, industry leaders say the overall disruption remains contained for now.

Poultry shipments face the greatest exposure, given that the Middle East absorbed roughly 30% of Brazil's chicken exports in 2025. Yet the sector is holding firm. Ricardo Santin, president of industry group ABPA, confirmed that March export volumes were on pace to surpass the 476,000 metric tons recorded in the same period last year. Exporters have responded by rerouting cargo through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, tapping alternative ports, and using overland trucking to reach buyers in Iraq, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The added fuel, storage, and war-risk costs are being shared between exporters and importers, keeping supply chains intact despite the strain.

Brazil's beef trade has also demonstrated resilience. In the first two months of 2026, fresh and processed beef exports surged 39% in value to $2.865 billion, with volumes climbing 22% to 557,240 tons, according to industry group Abrafrigo. Exporters have been redirecting shipments toward the United States, European Union, Chile, and Russia, partly to offset tighter access to China following new safeguard tariffs that impose a steep 55% duty on volumes exceeding a 1.1-million-ton quota.

Abrafrigo has cautioned that a broader regional conflict could push logistics costs higher, but for now demand from alternative markets is helping offset pressure from both the Iran war and Chinese trade restrictions. Brazil remains the world's largest beef exporter, and its diversified buyer base is proving a valuable buffer against geopolitical turbulence.