Booming cold storage industry in Brazil

The total capacity of Brazilian public refrigerated warehouses (PRW), which was less than 100,000 m3 in 1970 exceeds 4 million m3. The main reason of this boom is rapid growth of the agribusiness sector. Brazil has the world's largest commercial cattle herd (170 million head) and is second after the US in poultry; it is also one of the largest producers and exporters of soybeans in the world. Finally, agriculture currently represents 40% of Brazilian exports. The 1980s saw rising consumption of frozen and refrigerated food sparked by new innovations and marketing strategies. This is why there are now over 100 PRW companies in Brazil. According to D. Saicali, a Brazilian consultant, the potential for further growth is huge since the annual demand for refrigerated warehousing is estimated at 9.1 million of tons, 48% of which is currently satisfied by the PRW industry. Cold Facts, March/April 2008