China to send technical mission to Brazil to inspect slaughterhouses
A Chinese technical mission will come to Brazil to audit meatpacking plants and the country’s sanitary inspection system. A total of 17 industrial facilities seeking approval from Beijing to export meat to China will be inspected, Valor has learned. The list includes beef, pork, and poultry processors, as well as companies such as JBS, Minerva, and MBRF.
Agriculture Minister André de Paula said in an interview with CNN on Friday (11) that the mission will arrive this week and that there are expectations of announcements on the reinstatement of beef plants currently barred from selling to China, as well as progress on approvals for new facilities.
Contacted on Friday, the Agriculture Ministry did not confirm the information or provide details about the Chinese mission’s visit. An industry source familiar with the matter, however, confirmed to Valor that Chinese officials will come to Brazil for the audit. The source said, however, that there is no guarantee that the plants visited by the Chinese will be approved after the process.
In addition to beef, poultry, and pork processing facilities, the Chinese officials are expected to visit laboratories and farms, according to the report.
The mission is expected to take place between September 19 and 28. At least three beef-exporting meatpacking plants will be visited. One is JBS’s facility in Vilhena, Rondônia, which has been barred from selling to China since May. Minerva’s plant in Rolim de Moura, Rondônia, and Marfrig’s facility in Promissão, São Paulo, will also be audited.
The list of suspended beef plants includes JBS’s facility in Pontes e Lacerda, Mato Grosso; Prima Foods’s unit in Araguari, Minas Gerais; Frialto’s plant in Matupá, Mato Grosso; and SulBeef, in Várzea Grande, Mato Grosso. Copacol, in Cafelândia, Paraná, is barred from selling poultry meat. There are currently no restrictions on pork processing plants.
The main reason for the temporary suspensions of cattle slaughterhouses is the detection of residues in shipments arriving at Chinese ports.
Speaking to CNN, Minister André de Paula said he expects “very positive” announcements regarding the start of sales of offal.
Source: Valor International