China unlikely to approve new Brazilian beef plants until 2028, official says

China is not expected to approve additional Brazilian meatpacking plants for beef exports until 2028, when current import quotas expire, a senior Brazilian Agriculture Ministry adviser said on Monday (Feb. 23).

Carlos Augustin, special adviser at the ministry, said the outlook should be factored into how Brazil allocates export volumes among the 67 plants currently authorized to ship beef to China.

“What seems likely is that the government, through the Development Ministry (MDIC), will allocate the quota based on what each plant has historically supplied, because China has said it will not approve new plants over the next three years,” Augustin told reporters after an event in Brasília.

Under a proposal submitted by industry exporters, 3% of the total quota — equivalent to 33,000 metric tons in 2026 — would be set aside as a technical reserve for potential new entrants. Privately, however, industry representatives have not confirmed a definitive position from Beijing on new plant approvals. Some remain hopeful that additional facilities could still receive clearance this year, increasing competition for Brazil’s allotted volume.

“There is no reason to reserve part of the quota for new entrants if there won’t be any, since China will not authorize new plants,” Augustin said. “The logical approach would be to use the historical percentages from previous years.”

Brazil’s Foreign Trade Chamber (Camex) is expected to vote on Friday (Feb. 27) on a proposal to create a formal system to manage the beef export quota to China. While the measure has support within the Agriculture Ministry, oversight of quota allocation would fall to the Development Ministry, according to a source familiar with the discussions.

Source: Globo Rural

Sharing is caring!