Brazil’s finished cattle market continues to send mixed signals. According to Agrifatto, supplies of slaughter-ready cattle remain limited, with producers holding back animals in anticipation of higher prices. On the processor side, packers are maintaining a cautious stance amid uncertainty surrounding exports, particularly the possibility that China could exhaust its beef import quota between mid-June and early July.
At the end of the week, the physical market showed only modest movements. Pará stood out with a daily increase of 0.41%, lifting the average price to R$/@ 343.24. In São Paulo, the country’s benchmark market, Scot Consultoria reported stable prices of R$/@ 347 for finished males and R$/@ 352 for China-qualified cattle. In the futures market, the June/26 contract on B3 closed at R$/@ 347.20, down 0.33% on the day.
Slaughter schedules remain relatively comfortable for processors, averaging seven business days nationwide. Although some regions recorded a slight shortening of bookings, Minas Gerais continues to have the longest schedules among major cattle-producing states, with nine days of slaughter already secured.
According to Scot Consultoria, processors are adopting different strategies: some are seeking to extend slaughter schedules, while others prefer to purchase cattle gradually. The consultancy attributes this cautious approach to domestic consumption patterns, as retailers are still absorbing recent purchases and demand typically slows during the second half of the month.
In the wholesale market, beef sales started the week at a good pace but lost momentum as the week progressed. Scot said prices could find support from tighter beef supplies and a seasonal improvement in consumption over the weekend. The consultancy also noted expectations of stronger commercial activity linked to Brazil’s first match in the World Cup. Alternative proteins also strengthened, with chicken prices rising 2% and pork prices increasing 2.2%.
