Without Brazil, diners face higher meat prices in the US

The 50% tariff imposed by the government of United States President Donald Trump on Brazilian products is causing diners in the U.S. to seek beef suppliers in other countries. According to Wesley Batista Filho, CEO of JBS USA, which processes about a quarter of U.S. beef, American importers will likely turn to other countries with large cattle herds, such as Australia. The problem, he explained, is that Australia and other beef-exporting countries do not have sufficient capacity to completely replace Brazil. Brazil is responsible for 27% of beef imported by the U.S., the largest share among all countries. Brazilian ground beef imports from January to May doubled compared to the same period last year. Beef prices in the U.S. have reached records in recent months due to a prolonged shortage of cattle in the country. Retail ground beef prices increased almost 12% in July compared to the previous year. Beef companies usually mix higher-fat cuts with leaner cuts to create the ideal ...