The minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Wang Yi, says the brazilian beef import ban is to be ‘resolved quickly’, as pressure grows on the Brazilian Government to resume access to the Chinese market.
The minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Carlos França, discussed last week with his Chinese counterpart “opening and diversifying markets, including the resumption of Brazilian beef exports”, according to a statement from the Brazilian Ministry.
According to the note, “the Chinese chancellor believes the matter will be resolved quickly”. China is traditionally the main destination for Brazilian meat, but a suspension of shipments to the Asian country was announced in early September, after the confirmation of two atypical cases of “mad cow disease”, one in Mato Grosso and the other in Minas Gerais.
Brazilian Meatpackers Lower Production Pending Lift of Chinese Ban
Brazil voluntarily stopped exporting meat to China, its biggest market, at the beginning of September, after the confirmation of two cases of mad cow disease in two factories. As these were atypical cases, which do not pose health risks, the market believed in a short return in shipments, which has not yet occurred, six weeks after the halt.
Later, however, even with the control of cases in Brazil, the interruption was maintained by the Asian country.Bilateral contacts are ongoing.
President Jair Bolsonaro was advised to make a diplomatic gesture to the Chinese government in an attempt to solve the situation. Some presidential even advocate requesting a phone call with President Xi Jinping. Last year, Bolsonaro called the Chinese leader after a diplomatic crisis caused by federal MP Eduardo Bolsonaro criticizing the Asian country.
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Last week, the Ministry of Agriculture authorized Brazilian meat producers to store animal protein that would be destined for China in refrigerated containers. To avoid the accumulation of production, the Ministry also advised Brazilian slaughterhouses to sell beef on the domestic market or to other countries.
The Federation of Agriculture and Livestock of São Paulo (Faesp) sent official letters to the Ministry of Agriculture (Mapa) and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about the Chinese government’s block of imports of Brazilian beef, according to the Brazilian press.
The document, signed by the organization’s president, Fábio Meirelles, calls for additional measures to be taken, with greater political and diplomatic effort, towards the Chinese government, to reverse the situation. The problem “may become very serious for São Paulo and Brazilian cattle-raising”, highlights Meirelles.
