Minister of agriculture Blairo Maggi revealed that he predicted the US would begin importing Brazilian raw beef by the end of the semester following the suspension in June last year.
The suspension was due to the alleged presence of nodules in beef and long-running concerns over corruption within the Brazilian meat market.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealed last year that a high percentage of beef shipments failed to pass safety checks and had “recurring concerns” following the investigation into Brazilian firms JBS and BRF.
Speaking last week, Maggi said he believed the technical mission to the US would be the last and they would be working towards the return of Brazilian beef to the country.
“My expectation is that we will return by the end of this semester to export meat to the United States,” said Maggi. “It is our wish and we are working towards it.”
Last week, the European Commission proposed stopping 20 Brazilian companies exporting meat into the EU following a unanimous vote at a committee meeting.
Maggi defended Brazil’s meat market, stating that “it was not Brazil that was taken off the market, but some Brazilian companies” and said the European community was defending local producers’ interests.
“As everyone knows, there was a delisting that will take effect from the 15th. After that, the embargoed companies will no longer be able to export there until we can rehabilitate them. We are already negotiating to bring them back,” Maggi added.
“What Europe is doing to us is not about human health or animals. The market restriction was due to the great performance that Brazil has there. And European producers do not want the presence of Brazil, they want a smaller presence, so they have higher prices.”