LatinNews Daily - 5 March 2025

*Brazil’s agriculture ministry has confirmed that China’s customs administration (Gacc) has suspended shipments of beef from three processing facilities in Brazil. According to a Brazilian government press release, Gacc conducted video audits of the plants and identified “non-conformities” that breached the requirements of Chinese authorities, although the exact problem detected was not disclosed. Each plant is owned by a different Brazilian meatpacking company: one is in the state of Minas Gerais and is owned by Frisa Frigorífico Rio Doce; another is in São Paulo state and is owned by Bon-Mart Frigorífico; and the final one is in Goiás state and is owned by JBS, Brazil’s largest meat producer. The press release also cites Brazil’s agriculture minister, Carlos Fávaro, as downplaying concerns that this temporary export suspension from the three meat plants might affect trade relations, given that China is the top export destination for Brazilian beef. This is not the first time this year that Gacc has flagged up issues with Brazilian agricultural exports. In January, Chinese authorities suspended soybean shipments after detecting traces of pesticides and pests.