Singapore is the door to other Southeast Asian markets for Paraguayan meat — MercoPress

Singapore is the door to other Southeast Asian markets for Paraguayan meat

Monday, June 2nd 2025 – 08:41 UTC

This series of market openings is really encouraging,” Burt told ABC Color

Asunción meat industry leaders view Singapore as a strategic gateway to Southeast Asia, with hopes of expanding into markets like the Philippines, Korea, and Japan, Paraguayan Meat Chamber (CPC) General Manager Daniel Burt told ABC Color in an interview published Sunday. The opening of that market represents an endorsement of Paraguay’s sanitary standards and meat quality.

Burt highlighted the importance of gaining a foothold in Asia, especially in the pork and poultry sectors, given Paraguay’s lack of strong trade ties in the region. He stressed the significance of collaboration between government agencies and the private sector in overcoming sanitary barriers and opening new markets.

The selection of beef cuts for export will depend on demand, trade policies, and logistics costs. Singapore is expected to serve as a benchmark for Paraguay’s meat industry, providing both experience and credibility in Asia. There is also optimism about exporting premium cuts. The next step will involve Paraguayan meat processors negotiating directly with Singaporean importers.

After Singapore, Paraguay hopes to expand into the meat markets in the Philippines and South Korea. The Philippines is a growing market with increasing demand for imported protein. It relies heavily on imports due to limited domestic production capacity. However, trade barriers, including tariffs and sanitary regulations, can pose challenges. Meanwhile, South Korea is a well-established market for meat imports, particularly beef and pork. It has free trade agreements with several countries, making it a competitive destination despite restrictive sanitary and phytosanitary regulations.

Burt believes the Singaporean experience will be decisive for future openings in these two countries. “Strategically, it gives us another foot in Asia: Paraguay does not have a very long history of political and trade relations with Southeast Asia, and this approval opens a new chapter in Paraguay’s international trade history,” he said.

In addition, given its exclusion from China’s list of suppliers, given the South American country’s affinity with Taiwan, Paraguay cannot “afford” the luxury of ignoring other potential buyers in Southeast Asia, which depends 100% on protein imports. ”We must also highlight the recipe for success: the work of [Paraguay’s National Service of Animal Quality and Health] Senacsa and the public-private partnership, where other entities such as the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) also participate, to open markets, eliminate sanitary barriers, and make ourselves known. This series of market openings is really encouraging,“ he added.

”Now for example we are looking at the political tariff issue in the U.S. and the socio-environmental issues in the European Union. There are so many factors that affect the business, and the more markets we have, the more possibilities we have to redirect our shipments. Singapore is thus positioning itself as a seal of quality for Paraguay,“ he also pointed out.

”Everything adds up. Strategically, this market will give us a better vision of Southeast Asia, considering that we are also looking to conquer the Philippines in the short term. Korea and Japan are also” on the radar, he further noted.

See also: Paraguay and Singapore sign key carbon credit agreement

 

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