Brazil may resume beef exports to Chile in May

Brazil could resume exporting beef to Chile in May, according to the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association Abiec on Thursday (Apr 2).

Otavio Hermont Cancado, executive director of Abiec, said they are waiting to hear which Brazilian meatpackers will be approved by the Chilean government and it should happen in May.

A team of Chilean technical specialists had recently inspected 18 Brazilian meatpackers with the aim of reopening their market to Brazilian beef. Cancado said political reasons may lead to only half the inspected meatpackers to be approved.

Cancado said Brazil could export about 100,000 tonnes of beef per year to Chile.

Chile has banned Brazilian beef since 2005, after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Brazil.

In 2005, Chile  imported about 67,000 tonnes of beef, but plunged to 5,300 tonnes in 2006 and 6,500 tonnes in 2007 after the ban, said Abiec.