China eases weed rules for Brazilian soybean shipments

China has decided to ease rules on the presence of weed seeds in soybeans imported from Brazil, days after major trading firms reported shipment disruptions and even suspensions of exports to the country following changes in cargo inspections by Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture.

The move is detailed in a document from the Secretariat of Agricultural Defense (SDA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, published in the federal government’s electronic information system. The document cites a meeting with Chinese authorities in which officials acknowledged that “it is not possible to attest to the absolute absence of weed seeds in soybeans, given the characteristics of production.”

As a result, the document says, “Chinese authorities understood and accepted that a zero-tolerance criterion for the presence of weeds will not be applied to soybean shipments imported from Brazil and destined for domestic consumption for industrial processing.”

The following provides a historical overview of Brazilian soybean seaborne shipments to China, measured in Wet Metric Tons (WTMT), from January 2023 through January 2026:

Soybean Exports to China | Jan 2023 – Jan 2026 | WTMT

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

The SDA also noted that, as “there is still no official numerical parameter for tolerance, with the approach based on risk assessment and mitigation measures appropriate to the product’s destination, the tolerance level will be subject to bilateral discussions between Chinese and Brazilian officials.”

As previously reported by Valor, a delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture is in China this week to address the issue. Agriculture Minister Carlos Fávaro said on March 17 that Brazil will propose establishing a specific sanitary protocol for soybean trade.

With the agreed flexibility, the SDA document states, “certification of vessels is authorized even when laboratory reports confirm the presence of weeds, provided that other requirements are met, including the absence of treated seeds and live insects, until a tolerance level for weeds is formally established.”

Source: Valor International

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