Brazil's BRF says problems in ports may cut poultry, pork exports
(Adds details on port operations)
SAO PAULO, May 31 (Reuters) - Brazil's BRF SA, the world's largest poultry exporter, said on Wednesday that interruptions in operations at two Brazilian ports due to bad weather in recent days will negatively impact its exports.
Strong winds and rains in southern Brazil have closed loadings at the top meat exporting port of Itajaí, in Santa Catarina state, for several days.
Speaking at an investors conference in São Paulo, BRF Chief Executive Officer Pedro Faria said May exports of meat products could be 25,000 tonnes lower as a result of the closures.
The other port impacted by unfavorable weather is Rio Grande, in Rio Grande do Sul state, near the border with Uruguay.
Itajaí port is close to several BRF facilities in Santa Catarina and a traditional hub for refrigerated containers, hosting a large area for truckers to discharge cargo and plug them to a powered, storage space before loading onto ships.
Itajaí port said on Wednesday that operations have been halted since Saturday due to bad weather and said that 11 ships were waiting to berth. (Reporting by Ana Mano and Lais Martins; Writing by Marcelo Teixeira; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler)
