Brazilian meat industry to send delegation to China

According to a preliminary government list of business delegations seen by REUTERS, 69 of nearly 250 MEAT processing executives dominate the list, which includes wood pulp producers, a soybean processing group and mining, construction and financial industry executives.

JBS SA, the world's largest meat company that sent about 26% of its global exports to CHINA last year , will have about 10 representatives on its delegation, including three from the Batista family that controls the business.

BRF SA BRFS3.SA, the world's largest exporter of chicken meat, intends to send five executives, including Chairman Marcos Molina, founder of Marfrig Global Foods SA MRFG3.SA, who owns a majority stake in BRF.

Other names on the March 18 government list include the CEOs of iron ore miner Vale SA VALE3.SA, aircraft manufacturer Embraer SA EMBR3.SA, pulp maker Suzano SA SUZB3.SA and engineering group Novonor, formerly Odebrecht.

Lula is leaving for China this weekend, but many leaders and lobbying groups left before the president, government officials said.

JBS officials said the company is committed to strengthening commercial ties with China, a key trading partner. Marfig declined to comment. BRF, Vale, Suzano and Novonor did not respond to requests for comment.

Embraer is optimistic about the Sino-Brazilian strategic partnership and the prospects for expanding trade in high-value aerospace products.

J&F, the Batista family investment company that owns JBS and has a stake in pulp and energy, declined to comment on expectations for the trip. A source close to the firm said China is J&F's biggest market.

ABPA, the Brazilian Association of Pork and Poultry Processors, sends at least three representatives. The ABPA said in a statement that they are seeking recognition from Beijing that the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Parana are free of FMD without vaccination in order to EXPORT bone-in pork and offal.

ABPA is also seeking export permits for more factories.

According to ABPA data for the first two months of 2023, China bought 44% of Brazilian pork exports by volume and about 14% of chicken exports.

Two major beef groups, Abiec and Abrafrigo, are sending representatives hoping they can convince China to lift a ban on beef exports imposed on February 23 after a case of mad cow disease was discovered in Brazil. “Today marks one month since the embargo was introduced,” said Joao Figueiredo, analyst at Datagro Pecuaria. "The opening is expected to take place in the next few days and possibly during a (presidential) mission."

China already has all the information it needs on the mad cow case, according to a Brazilian government source .

Brazil is also seeking to revise its sanitary protocols, according to which a single case of mad cow disease triggers an export ban for the entire country. Brazilian beef producers are losing up to $25 million a day because of the embargo.

About 62% of Brazilian beef exports last year went to China.