In the face of severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, local meatpackers are banding together to tackle significant disruptions caused by the recent torrential rains, according to Reuters citing a local meat industry lobby on Tuesday.
Jose Ribas, the head of Sindicarne in Santa Catarina, a neighboring state, reported that companies are cooperating to navigate the logistical challenges that have hampered the delivery of essential supplies such as feed and water to poultry and hog farms. “Companies are helping each other by sharing feed and lending trucks to expedite the supply of necessities to the affected farms,” he explained in a telephone interview. “The focus is on mutual aid, not competition.”
The floods have blocked roads, caused the death of livestock, damaged critical infrastructure, and submerged towns and agricultural fields in Rio Grande do Sul.
While Ribas confirmed the deaths of hogs and poultry due to the flooding, he noted that the full extent of the losses is currently unclear.
He revealed that while four chicken and hog processing facilities are expected to remain closed this week, six others are gradually beginning to resume operations. Ribas did not disclose the specific locations of these plants as he is not authorized to speak on behalf of the companies.
The ABPA, a national meat lobby, has yet to comment on the exact number of pork and poultry plants that were halted or disrupted in the region following the flood. However, they estimated on Monday that around ten facilities were either completely shut down or operating at reduced capacity due to the shortages of staff and livestock.
