As for revenue, even with the March result, an accumulated growth rate of only 1.1 per cent was reached, totalling $ 1.89 billion between January and March.

"Revenue has grown at a slower pace than the volume shipped, which shows that the profitability of agribusiness exporters is reducing. With the loss of competitiveness, exporters are lowering prices to keep up with the markets. At this stage, government support is critical," says the president of UBABEF, Francisco Turra.

The largest market for Brazilian poultry sector, the Middle East, has imported 315,900 tonnes in the first three months of this year, which is 12.7 per cent lower than in the first quarter of 2011. As for Asia, the second largest customer of chicken exporters of Brazil, was responsible for the shipment of 294,100 tons, 16.8 per cent greater over the previous year. Thirdly, with the largest increase among all markets (40.8 per cent high), Africa imported 158,700 tonnes.

"The negative result of the quarter exports to the Middle East was influenced by the performance in exports to Iran, beyond the reduction in purchases in other markets," said the UBABEF president.

Among the markets that recorded the largest increases in export volumes are Egypt (19,900 tons), Hong Kong (16.9 thousand tons), China (16,300 tons), South Korea (15.1 thousand tons) and Singapore (7,800 tons). The markets with the greatest drop in exports in the quarter are Kuwait (- 24 500 tons), Japan (-19.2 thousand tons), Iran (- 144 thousand tons), Germany (- 4.2 thousand tons) and Angola (- 3.4 thousand tons).