May 4, 2006

China authorises more Brazilian companies to for beef imports

China has increased the number of Brazilian companies authorised to export beef and chicken meat to China, officials said Monday (May 1).

Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture said that 13 more Brazilian companies had received official approval, which increased the total number of facilities authorised to export to China to 18.

Until now, Brazilian exports of meat to China were carried out through temporary import licenses, said the Ministry's director of International Relations Odilson Ribeiro. With the official authorisations by the Chinese government, those Brazilian companies are now permanently authorised to export to China.

Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture also said that the Chinese government was studying the possibility of granting licenses to a further 16 Brazilian companies.

Last year, China imported US$86 million of Brazilian meat, double the amount from 2004, according to official figures.