China lifts suspension on Brazilian meat imports

China lifted its suspension on imports of Brazilian meat on Saturday following clarification of inspection irregularities uncovered in a police investigation into alleged bribery of health officials, Brazil’s Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi said.

Chinese authorities will keep the ban in place for only one chicken processing plant in the southern Brazilian state of Parana operated by Seara Alimentos Ltda, another senior Brazilian agriculture official said.

Sources in China also said that Beijing had forbidden the entry of meat approved by seven Brazilian veterinary experts. Brazilian meat imports have already started being cleared in Shanghai, one of the sources said.

“Lifting the suspension was the result of a giant effort by Brazil to explain that the investigation targeted the conduct of individuals and not the quality of the meat,” Maggi told Reuters.

“China has accepted our explanations and we will continue sending products there without restrictions except for the plants that we ourselves decided to suspend.”

Brazil is the top supplier of beef to China, accounting for about 31 percent of its imports in the first half of last year. The second supplier, Australia, is still rebuilding its herd after drought and is not seen as able to meet China’s fast-growing demand. The South American country also supplies more than 85 percent of China’s poultry meat imports, according to the United States agriculture department.

Other major producers, such as the United States and some smaller European markets, are banned from supplying to China due to bird flu outbreaks.

Brazil President Michel Temer plans to call Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the coming days, an aide to Temer aide told Reuters.

Brazil suspended exports from 21 meat processing plants following the federal police investigation in alleged bribery of health inspectors made public last week. Only one is authorized to export directly to mainland China - the plant operated by Seara Alimentos Ltda, which is owned by Brazil’s JBS SA , the world’s biggest meatpacking company.

On March 20, China suspended imports of all meat products from Brazil, the world’s top beef exporter, as a precautionary measure after inspectors there were accused of taking bribes to allow sales of tainted food. (RTRS)