Hey friends! 🌞 If you haven't heard yet, Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul has been hit by some serious floods, and it's causing big problems for our farmers and the foods we love. 😢
Imagine this: torrential rains submerged entire towns, and with them, thousands of our precious farm animals. According to Valdecir Folador, head of the local hog producers group ACSURS, about 12,600 pigs were lost in the floods. That's a massive blow to around 30 farms, including suppliers to major meat companies like BRF and JBS.
And it's not just the hogs. The poultry sector took a huge hit too! 🐔 ASGAV, representing local poultry farmers and processors, estimates losses of over 182.9 million reais (that's about $35.8 million). Can you believe that around 279,000 chickens meant for our dinner tables and 150,000 laying hens didn't make it?
With four meatpacking plants halted and feed factories flooded, the situation is affecting the entire chain. Farmers are struggling to feed the animals that survived, leading to weight loss and other issues. Folador mentioned that some farmers had to ration food and water, and this could have long-term effects on production. 😔
The port of Rio Grande, a key hub for shipping Brazil's pork and chicken exports, is also facing disruptions due to blocked roads and damaged rail links. This port handles nearly 9% of Brazil's pork exports and over 6% of its chicken exports. That's a big deal for one of the world's biggest food exporters! 🌍
The overall impact? Well, Rio Grande do Sul is responsible for about a quarter of Brazil's pork exports and over 16% of its chicken exports. With the floods causing so much havoc, we can expect some changes in prices and availability of these products in the coming months.
But amidst all this, let's keep our spirits up and support our farmers and communities affected by the floods. 💪🌱 They need our encouragement now more than ever. And let's hope for better weather and relief efforts to get things back on track soon!
Stay tuned for more updates, and don't forget to share this with your friends to spread the word! 📢
Reference(s):
Thousands of hogs, poultry perish in flood-hit Brazilian state
cgtn.com
