Brazil expects China to overturn veto on Brazil beef

Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply Tereza Cristina said Tuesday (Nov. 23) the decision from China’s customs authorities to allow the entry of Brazilian beef bearing Chinese approval given up to September 4 is “the first step” towards the complete resumption of the export of the Brazilian product.

“The first step now is to strike down the suspension of Brazilian meat. We’re moving forward in this, and I hope it takes place next month,” the minister told journalists outside the ministry building, in Brasília.

Earlier on, China reported it will accept the import request for Brazilian beef that has been given the required sanitary certifications by September 4. The decision enables a portion of the shipments held back at Chinese ports over contamination suspicions now dispelled to be released by the customs.

Brazil has suspended its beef exports to China on September 4 after detecting two atypical cases of the mad cow disease. The cases were labeled “atypical” as they are of a spontaneous type of the disease, not transmitted among the herd.

According to the World Organization for Animal Health, “atypical” cases pose no risk to human or animal health and are usually reported in older cattle. Nonetheless, the product Chinese importers had purchased, which had already been shipped for China, continued being exported, and was held at the Chinese customs.

“These were atypical cases. So much so that the global authority [OIE] closed the case quickly, discharging Brazil. All OIE member countries released Brazilian meat, except for China, which has a different protocol, which is why Brazil had to suspend exports. China alone faced this issue, however, which is being addressed,” the minister noted, guaranteeing there are no reasons for Brazilian or international consumers to worry.