China to demand full traceability for beef supply chain

China, the main destination for Brazilian beef exports, signaled during its last technical visit to Brazil in December that it will soon require full traceability across the beef supply chain, from the birth of the animal to its export.

Although this requirement is already included in the trade agreements between the two countries, Chinese importers have not enforced it until now.

“The Ministry of Agriculture informed us that the mission was positive, but the key takeaway is that China will indeed start demanding traceability,” said Danielle Schneider, traceability coordinator for the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries (ABIEC), during an event hosted by Imaflora in Cuiabá.

Ms. Schneider said these changes are expected to unfold over the next two years, with China establishing its own traceability protocols. “Unlike Europe, China is not yet asking for information related to deforestation, only traceability. However, by doing this, we know that addressing deforestation could be the next step,” she acknowledged.

A study by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Getulio Vargas Foundation, supported by the American NGO The Nature Conservancy, found that Chinese consumers would be willing to pay up to 22.5% more for Brazilian beef if it came with guarantees of being sourced from zero-deforestation areas.

Peng Ren, project manager at the Chinese NGO Global Environmental Institute, stated that discussions to develop traceability solutions between the two countries will begin next month, with the goal of starting the first shipments of 100% traceable beef as early as next year. “We are at the start of this negotiation,” the executive said.

Following audits conducted in December 2023, China approved 38 new Brazilian meat processing plants for export, including 24 dedicated to beef. According to Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, this was the largest number of plant approvals granted in a single instance in the history of trade relations between the two countries.

Source: Valor International

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