Brazil will export a record amount of beef in 2005 despite an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Parana in October. The FMD outbreak precipitated full or partial bans of Brazilian beef products by 52 countries.

MeatNews.com says Brazil is expected to log a record 2.35 million metric tons of beef and beef products worth $3.1 billion by the end 2005. That represents a 30% rise in volume and 26% bump in value compared to 2004.