Brazil continues to rack up agricultural trade deals across the globe beyond the EU-Mercosur agreement, as government officials head to the Philippines on a mission to strengthen trade relationships, following a pork import ban that went into effect in the Southeast Asian country.
From Nov. 13-16, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the country’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, André de Paula, will visit the Philippines and participate in the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit. On Nov. 14, the Brazil-Philippines Business Forum will be held, where public and private sector representatives from both countries will discuss collaboration across food and energy sectors.
Brazil and the Philippines have maintained diplomatic ties for 80 years, but this would be the first visit by a sitting Brazilian president.
The Philippines represents a major market for Brazilian exports. The Southeast Asian country imported $1.84 billion worth of Brazilian goods, with meat exports, including pork, beef and chicken, representing 86% of the total, Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture shared.
However, the Philippines imposed a 60-day pork ban on imports over domestic hog production concerns, including the sector’s recovery from an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak. Falling farm prices have cost producers P27.9 billion — roughly $440.418 million — in the first seven months of this year, Philippines’ Department of Agriculture shared.
The Philippines is the number one importer of Brazilian pork, importing 34,700 tons in October, down from 46,300 tons during the same month last year, according to data from the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA).
“Rebuilding the hog industry requires more than short-term price interventions. We are working through the necessary legal, regulatory, and industry reforms to bring the national hog population back to its pre-ASF level of about 13 million heads by the end of 2028,” Philippines Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement.
Brazil continues trade progress
In other trade news, Brazil has gained access to key agricultural markets in Southeast Asia, including in Vietnam and Malaysia, and globally in places like Turkey and Barbados. With these deals, Brazil has expanded its exports to 728 markets in 100 countries since the start of 2023.
Brazil gained approval to export red bovine offal to Vietnam, which imported $3.5 billion worth of agricultural goods from the South American country in 2025, according to a Nov. 10 release. Vietnam is a top five market for Brazilian agricultural goods.
Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, the Malaysian state of Sarawak approved the import of pork products, bovine and buffalo embryos, bovine semen, and live cattle, creating opportunities for Brazil’s genetic business. Malaysia imported $1.1 billion worth of agricultural goods in 2025.
Brazil also gained export access of live buffalo intended for breeding and slaughtering in Turkey, which imported $3.2 billion worth of agricultural goods from the country.
Lastly, Barbados approved sanitary certification for the export of beef, bovine offal, and meat products. The Caribbean country imported roughly $11 million of agricultural goods in 2025.
