China approves 25 Brazilian meat plants for export

Announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), this increases the number of plants approved from 64 to 89.

Of the new establishments authorized, 17 produce beef, six process chicken, one pork and one donkey. The approved sites can export immediately. 

Negotiations were conducted by MAPA, and followed a visit by Minister Tereza Cristina and her entourage to China and other Asian countries with the objective of expanding the sale of Brazilian agricultural products.

Two BRF plants have been authorised for export to China. One is a poultry plant and the other is a pork facility, both based in Lucas do Rio Verde. The plants have a daily slaughtering capacity of approximately 300,000 birds and 5,000 hogs, respectively.  This brings the number of BRF plants authorised to export to China to nine.

Minverva also had two plants approved - beef sites in Rolim de Moura and Palmeiras de Goiás, which have a combined slaughter capacity of 3,500 heads per day.

These two, combined with the Barretos plant that is already certified to export to China, mean Minerva can offer up to 4,340 heads per day to the China market, which represents 45% of Brazilian Division slaughter capacity.

Minerva highlighted that its Athena Foods division is also certified to export to China through four plants: three in Uruguay and one in Argentina, totalling 5,600 heads/day, creating a combined capacity of 9,940 head per day.