Paraguay Livestock and Products Annual Report 2013
Report Highlights:
Paraguayan beef exports for 2014 are forecast at 330,000 tons (carcass weight equivalent), the highest ever.
This is a result of projected increased beef production and the reopening of key markets during the last half of 2013 and during 2014.
Production:
Paraguayan beef production for 2014 is projected at a record of 540,000 tons, carcass weight equivalent (cwe), as a result of a steady and continued growth in herd size and improved production efficiency. Despite the foot and mouth disease outbreaks of 2011 and 2012, the reopening of key export markets is expected to further boost the sector. In recent years, the Paraguayan livestock sector has received strong investment, attracting many producers from neighboring countries as land prices are significantly lower than in their respective countries and production conditions are very good. New land is continuously opened for cattle, especially in the Chaco (west) region, where 45 percent of the herd is located. Many natural grasslands are sown with improved pastures and most cattlemen continue to expand their number of cattle as the business continues to be profitable. There has also been important investment in infrastructure and improved management, but there is still much to do. The Paraguayan herd has been growing in the past few years at an average rate of 5-6 percent and it is expected to continue to do so in the future. In fact, private projections indicate that the country’s cattle stock could total 19-20 million head by 2020. The improvement in cattle genetics in the recent past has been impressive. Cattle are finished at a younger age and provide improved beef quality which is already recognized in several foreign markets.
The Paraguayan cattle stock is projected at 15 million head in 2014. There are 130,000 producers, of which 90 percent have less than 100 head, and the other 10 percent accounts for 12 million head of cattle, primarily located in the eastern region. The government together with the private sector is beginning to work on a program to improve the reproductive efficiency as the average weaning ratio is about 50 percent, very low compared to neighboring countries. While there are many medium and large efficient producers, there are a good number of cattlemen who need to improve the management of their herd (focusing primarily in health and nutrition).
