Production at four chicken and pork slaughtering facilities, located in Nova Marilândia, Dois Vizinhos, Toledo and Campos Novos, was completely halted due to the shortage of raw material.
As well as these four sites, six other facilities – in Rio Verde, Uberlândia, Dourados, Toledo, Chapecó and Garibaldi – have been partially halted.
The business did warn that there was an “imminent risk of halting the production of six more processing facilities throughout the day as the raw material warehouse runs out”.
The sites are risk are located in Campos Novos, Concordia, Herval do Oeste, Dois Vizinhos, Francisco Beltrão and Marau.
BRF also stated that several production inputs used in the food production process were not delivered, while 10% of animal feed was not delivered to chicken growers, affecting the feeding of around one million animals.
It warned that the inability to transport inputs and products has resulted in losses to BRF, employees and farmers, as well as severely threatening animal welfare and harming consumers.
Strike action
The truckers’ strike has been caused by rising fuel prices in the country, and the action has led Brazil’s state-run fuel company Petroleo Brasileiro to cut the cost of diesel by 10% and freeze prices for 15 days while negotiations between drivers and the government take place.
In a statement, Brazilian finance minister Eduardo Guardia pleaded with drivers to resume work. “The Government will maintain talks with lorry drivers to explore alternative solutions to their demands,” he said. “We urge them to resume their activities, so as to avoid any losses and inconvenience to the population.”