Brazil authorized to export used cooking oil to the United States

Brazil was recently notified of the United States’ decision to accept the International Health Certificate on Vegetable Products (CSIV), permitting the South American nation to export used cooking oil.

UCO, a residue of vegetable oils and fats used in cooking and frying in the food industry, is used as a raw material for biofuels, including biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel.

Based on audits of storage facilities’ and exporters’ self-regulation protocols, the Department of Inspection of Products of Plant Origin (DIPOV) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) will certify the product’s traceability, identity, and origin to comply with US regulations.

The export of UCO from Brazil to the United States represents a significant market opportunity, driven by the growing North American demand for biofuels. In 2023, the US imported approximately 1.4 million metric tonnes of UCO, enough to produce 2.27 billion liters of biofuels. This trade volume represented nearly US$ 1.66 billion in monetary terms. The main suppliers of UCO to the US were China, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Chile.

This is the second time Brazil managed to gain access to an agriculture-centered market in the US, the first one being an export authorization for animal gelatin and collagen in January. In 2023, Brazilian agribusiness sold USD 9.82 billion to the world’s largest economy. It is worth noting the US is Brazil’s second-largest trading partner.

The new opening marks Brazil’s 146th commercial expansion throughout 51 countries since last year. In 2024 alone, 68 new markets were conquered across 29 countries.

More information about the criteria used for enabling storage establishments to export UCO is available on the Agriculture Ministry website.

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