Tyson Brazil to grow international poultry sales

Tyson Foods confirmed this week that it was actively pursuing poultry production growers for its Brazilian poultry operations.
“Tyson is preparing its new acquisitions to export chicken products to markets such as the European Union this year,” Joster Macedo, president of Tyson Brazil was quoted by Dow Jones Newswires.
In September of 2008 Tyson acquired three Brazilian poultry companies with plans to expand poultry production in that country to four million birds per week by 2011. Rick Greubel, president of Tyson Foods International was quoted in Arkansas’ The Morning News as saying that Tyson plans on securing grower financing for 670 new poultry growers to build poultry houses as part of the company’s expansion effort. Tyson stated that it remains committed to its Brazilian investment as it is currently in the process of obtaining export licenses for all its Brazilian plants.
Dow Jones News reports that Tyson expects to generate between 60-70% of its Brazilian revenues from exports by the end of 2009. Meanwhile, domestic demand within Brazil remains strong: “Brazil is a country of 195 million people and has experienced seven years of relative economic stability and GDP growth. Per capita poultry consumption there is about 38 kilos (83.6 pounds), which is comparable to U.S. consumption, and there remains room to grow,” said Greubel.