By MARINEL E. PEROY
“Because in the end… there should be no borders for food.”
This was the message of Ambassador Gilberto Fonseca Guimarães de Moura as he and other Brazilian officials reaffirmed their commitment to meeting the Philippines’ growing demand for high-quality meat products, positioning the South American country as a reliable partner in ensuring food security.
Brazil is currently the top meat supplier to the Philippines, covering pork, chicken, and beef imports. In 2024 alone, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Trade System recorded total meat imports at 733,700 tons of pork (51%), 472,200 tons of chicken (33%), and 203,900 tons of beef (14%).
During a recent reception, the Ambassador said that animal protein is far more than a tradable commodity: “Animal protein, I believe, is not merely a tradable commodity. It is a vital building block of human development.”
He added that protein carries implications for “political, health, nutrition, and dignity of populations,” making it essential in the formulation of national policies.
“Ensuring access to animal protein does not seek an economic decision. It’s much harder, because it’s a policy of investing in people, it is a social priority of the highest order,” the envoy said.
Brazil’s leadership in the global meat trade is backed by stringent standards. The country is the world’s leading exporter of poultry and offers “not only quantity, but above all quality, underpinned by rigorous central standards,” the ambassador said.
Recently, Brazil was recognized by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) as free from foot and mouth disease (FMD) without the need for vaccination. It has also applied for recognition of regionalization for High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) and has maintained a status free of African Swine Fever (ASF) through proactive sanitary controls.
Agricultural Attaché Virginia Carpi noted that the Brazil-Philippines trade relationship continues to grow. “We are committed to further strengthening our trade relationship and ensuring a secure, healthy, and prosperous future,” she said, highlighting the mutual benefits of stable supply chains and reliable partnerships in food security and economic growth.
Industry leaders echoed the same commitment. Ricardo Santin, president of the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), said Brazil operates an integrated production system that ensures product traceability, sustainability, and health compliance.
Since 2000, Brazil has exported over 1.4 million tons of chicken meat and approximately 700,000 tons of pork to the Philippines.
Today, the country is the Philippines’ top source for pork and its seventh-largest for poultry. Brazilian imports account for 16% of local pork consumption and 11% of chicken consumption, underscoring their strategic role in feeding Filipino households.
