BEIJING / SAO PAULO — Chinese customs authorities have temporarily halted beef imports from three distinct meat-processing facilities in Brazil, according to reports from local media outlet Globo Rural.
The General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) issued the deactivation orders for the plants after routine inspections detected trace amounts of medroxyprogesterone acetate. The synthetic hormone is strictly prohibited for use in livestock destined for food production within China.
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The newly suspended facilities belong to major players in Brazil’s agricultural sector:
- A JBS unit located in Pontes e Lacerda, Mato Grosso. YouTube
- A PrimaFoods facility in Araguari, Minas Gerais. YouTube
- A Frialto plant operating in Matupá, Mato Grosso. YouTube
This regulatory action follows a similar suspension enacted by Chinese authorities against a meatpacking plant owned by the Frigosul group for the exact same chemical violation.
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The unexpected halts come at a delicate time for bilateral trade. Brazilian agricultural officials, including the Ministry of Agriculture, have yet to issue a formal comment regarding the safety infractions or the potential timeline for the facilities to resolve the compliance issues and resume shipping to China, which remains the primary destination for Brazilian beef.