Brazil clears JBS to import Vietnamese tilapia amid revived trade flow

The arrival of 700 tonnes of tilapia in Brazil is already underway. While the Lula government included tilapia on the National List of Invasive Exotic Species, the country authorized the import of the fish directly from Vietnam. The operation is being handled by JBS.

There will be 32 containers in total, and the first was dispatched on November 6, with unloading scheduled for December 17 at the Port of Santos.

The authorization for imports, formalized by the Ministry of Agriculture in April through Decision Order No. 379, resumes a flow that had been suspended since 2024. The current shipment is part of commitments made between Lula and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during the Expanded BRICS Summit, which involved the entry of Vietnamese tilapia, tra, and basa into Brazil and the expansion of Brazilian beef purchases by Vietnam.

Commenting on the operation, Ambassador Bui Van Nghi emphasized that the shipment reinforces economic cooperation and consolidates the Asian country as a supplier of agricultural and aquaculture products in Latin America.

However, the simultaneous inclusion of tilapia on the National List of Invasive Exotic Species raised concerns among representatives of the domestic aquaculture sector, who fear legal uncertainty and licensing obstacles. The Ministry of the Environment states that the classification is technical and does not interfere with commercial production.

The Vietnamese embassy also reported that it will continue supporting companies interested in expanding bilateral trade and introducing new South American products into the Vietnamese market.

Fonte: Pleno News

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