According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) data, in 2015 the slaughterings of pigs rose by 5.7% in comparison with 2014. A total of 39 million heads were slaughtered, the highest figures since 2005.
According to Mr. João Salomão, one of the main factors that explains this rise in pig (but also in chicken) slaughterings is an increase in the price of beef, that rose in 2015, changing the buying preferences of the Brazilians towards these cheaper meats.
The IBGE's data show that the rise in the slaughterings of pigs and chickens have contributed to a slight increase by 1.2% in the total meat production in Brazil in 2015, in comparison with 2014, reaching 24 million tonnes.
Friday, 18 March 2016/ MAPA/ Brazil.
http://www.agricultura.gov.br