April 18, 2022

Three Brazilian beef producers banned from exporting meat to China for one week

China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) has suspended beef imports from three Brazilian beef exporters for one week - JBS SA, Marfrig, and Naturafrig, affecting four plants located in Mato Grosso and Sao Paulo states from April 16, 2022, Reuters reported.

The ban was imposed after Chinese technicians identified the presence of COVID-19 nucleic acid traces on the external packaging of four batches of imported frozen products from the three firms.

The banned slaughterhouses are the Marfrig plants in Varzea Grande in Mato Grosso state and Promissao in Sao Paulo state, the JBS plant at Barra do Garcas in Mato Grosso state, and the Naturafrig slaughterhouse in Pirapozinho, Sao Paulo state.

Requests for comment were not immediately returned by the three firms.

Exports to China from two Brazilian beef plants and one poultry producer were suspended last week by the GACC, involving a JBS beef plant in Goias, a Marfrig beef unit in Mato Grosso, and a chicken plant in Sao Paulo owned by the company Zanchetta.

-      Reuters