China lifts ban on Brazilian beef
Agriculture Minister Neri Geller announced Thursday (Jul 17) that the Chinese government has agreed to lift the embargo on Brazilian beef, brought into effect in 2012 following suspicions of a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), the mad cow disease, in a dead animal in the state of Paraná, in 2010. The case, however, was considered atypical and less dangerous than the usual variety of the illness.
According to Geller, the deal with China was made official during a meeting with Presidents Xi Jinping and Dilma Rousseff, and exports are likely to resume this year. Brazil awaits an official communication from the Chinese sanitary defense, which may take about a month. At first, eight companies will be allowed to export to the Asian country, but nine others have made a request to join them.
After the embargo was suspended, sales to China may reach 18 percent of all the beef Brazil exports every year. According to Neri Geller, $800 million is expected to be sold for $1.2 billion to the Chinese next year.
Brazil began selling beef to China in 2009, when $2.5 million-worth of the product was traded. By December 2012, when commerce was interrupted by the embargo, negotiations had amounted to $37.7 million.
While the ban was in force, the Chinese market expanded. In 2013, China's beef purchases totaled $1.269 billion. Minister Geller believes that, besides the increase in the demand, the trust placed by the Chinese in Brazil's sanitary system has played a key role in the decision to suspend the embargo. “We understand that Brazil left the case a stronger country. We've shown that the Brazilian defense is working, and that public health is a priority,” he said.
At the moment, three countries still impose restrictions on Brazilian beef: Saudi Arabia, Peru and Iran; but the Ministry of Agriculture reported that negotiations have been made with all three of them.
Translated by Fabrício Ferreira
Fonte: China lifts ban on Brazilian beef
