According to figures compiled by the Brazilian Association of Animal Proteins (ABPA), shipments reached 4,022 million tons between January and November, a volume 3 per cent higher than in the first eleven months of 2015, with 3.904 million tons.

In November, 328.3 thousand tons were shipped, 15.5 per cent less than in the same period of last year, with 388.7 thousand tons.

"The contraction of the volumes shipped in the last two months has, among other causes, the slowdown in Brazilian production, due to the crisis in input markets experienced in 2016. With the smaller scale, Brazilian agribusinesses are balancing supply to the domestic and foreign markets," explains Francisco Turra, chief executive of ABPA.

Revenue from November shipments reached US $ 528.8 million, 12.8 per cent lower than in the eleventh month last year (US $ 606.4 million). In the accumulated of the year the reduction is 4.4 per cent, with a total balance of US $ 6.275 billion - compared to US $ 6.567 billion obtained in 2015.

"In November we also saw a movement similar to October, especially in Asia, due to market adjustments and the suspension of the authorisation of five plants that exported to China," explains Ricardo Santin, ABPA's vice president of markets.