Prognosis
Virus Hotspots Grow in Meat Plants From Germany to Brazil
- Smaller-scale abattoirs have damped market impact outside U.S.
- Plants have been shut but supply less disrupted than in U.S.
This article is for subscribers only.
The coronavirus outbreaks that shuttered U.S. meat plants are spreading to other industry powerhouses from Europe to Brazil.
So far, the supply disruptions haven’t matched the burger shortfalls and soaring prices seen in the U.S. That’s partly because abattoirs outside America tend to be smaller, damping the market impact when one is halted. But as slaughterhouses become virus hotspots, they’re attracting greater scrutiny and more plants are being shut. It also matters because Brazil is the world’s biggest exporter of beef.