The increase would see production rise from 2,651,000 tonnes this year to 2,769,000 tonnes.

The forecast from the ministry's agency for te production and slaughter of pigs, LSPS, was produced from data from the country's major pig meat producing areas, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso of the South, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio Grande Do Sul, Santa Catarina and São Paulo, during March, June and October.

"The survey also takes into consideration regional peculiarities, how the production chain is organised and the different technology in the areas," said researcher Marcelo Miele.