Announced during a visit to Brazil by Xi Jinnping, the president of China, the move opens the door for a return to the mainland market for Brazilian beef, considerably increasing the country’s scope within the Asian markets.
The ban was implemented following the discovery of BSE in Paraná at the end of 2012. Before this time the Chinese market was in growth for Brazil and was worth around US$37m. At present Brazil has eight processing plants approved to supply the Chinese market.
Neri Geller, Brazil’s minister of agriculture, livestock and supply, said the move was "a recognition of the quality of our production and robustness of our system of animal health surveillance" and reinforced the country’s position as one of the world’s leading beef suppliers.
The news has prompted fears that other suppliers to the Chinese market could lose out, particularly Australia, which has a beef trade with China worth over US$700m.