China suspends imports from 3 Brazilian meatpacking plants over banned substance

China has suspended imports of beef and beef products from three Brazilian meatpacking plants, alleging the presence of medroxyprogesterone acetate residues in shipments. The suspended units are JBS in Pontes e Lacerda (Mato Grosso, SIF 51), PrimaFoods in Araguari (Minas Gerais, SIF 177), and Vale Grande Indústria e Comércio de Alimentos, known commercially as Frialto, in Matupá (Mato Grosso, SIF 4490). The plants were delisted by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).

Contacted for comment, JBS, PrimaFoods, Frialto, and Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture had not responded by the time this article was published. Space remains open for their statements.

The suspensions appear in China’s food importer registration system (Ciferquery SingleWindow), managed by the GACC, which oversees approvals and suspensions of importers.

According to the Chinese publication reviewed by Broadcast Agro, the real-time news service of Grupo Estado, the suspension has been in effect since Wednesday, May 20. The delistings have not yet been integrated into Brazil’s Federal Inspection Service Management Information System (SIGSIF), maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The measure was communicated to the Brazilian government on Wednesday by the agricultural attaché office in Beijing in a letter sent to the Department of Inspection of Animal Products (Dipoa) of the Ministry of Agriculture, according to information obtained by Broadcast.

According to the notice, the suspension was due to the detection of a prohibited substance in China — medroxyprogesterone acetate — in beef exported by the plants. The compound is a synthetic hormone used as a veterinary drug to control the reproductive cycle of animals. China, however, prohibits the use of the substance in beef cattle.

In total, four Brazilian beef exporters to China are currently suspended from shipping products to the country. In April, China had already suspended imports of beef and beef products from Pantaneira Indústria e Comércio de Carnes e Derivados (SIF 1206), part of the Frigosul group, located in Várzea Grande (Mato Grosso), also alleging the presence of medroxyprogesterone acetate residues in a shipment of frozen boneless beef exported by the plant.

Source: UOL

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