January 6, 2012

Production of cattle tracking chips will soon be started by Brazil's Ceitec in its plant at Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul) that received investments of BRL500 million (US$272.4 million).

Minister of Science and Technology Aloizio Mercadante says the government has no restrictions in investing in Ceitec, since all chips consumed in Brazil are imported and Ceitec could be a way out of a growing trade deficit. Its chip, based on RFID, would have half of the costs of imported similar and adds to the Brazilian beef production.

At the current stage Ceitec, presided by Sulon Goncalves da Silva, designs the chips for manufacturing abroad and later on should start local production. There are other chips being designed with many applications.