According to a joint statement recently issued by China and Brazil, the relevant departments of both countries have made great efforts to resume Brazil's beef exports to China.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited China from April 12 to 15 and the two countries issued a joint statement on deepening their comprehensive strategic partnership.

The joint statement pointed out that cooperation in agriculture and agricultural product trade between the two sides is of strategic significance. The two sides expressed satisfaction with the consensus reached by the relevant departments of both sides in the areas of health, plant health, and food safety, and committed to strengthening dialogue in these areas to firmly promote the safe and smooth development of grain and agricultural product trade between the two countries.

The statement claimed: "Brazil will ensure that recommended registered meat companies meet the requirements, and China will approve qualified companies to register in China according to the procedures. The two sides commend the efforts and cooperation of the relevant departments of both countries in resuming Brazil's beef exports to China. Previously, Brazil suspended its beef exports to China due to a case of atypical mad cow disease found in Brazil, according to the existing Brazil-China beef export protocol."

In addition, the two sides agreed to carry out avian influenza prevention and control technology cooperation, including exploring the requirements for avian influenza-free countries. China is willing to strengthen exchanges with Brazil on avian influenza epidemic prevention and control, and Brazil has promised to strengthen prevention and control measures to ensure its avian influenza-free status. China is willing to accelerate the risk assessment process for Brazil's foot-and-mouth disease-free zones, and Brazil has promised to invite Chinese experts to conduct on-site assessments as soon as possible, and the two sides will jointly promote the relevant assessment and recognition work.

On February 22, the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, was detected on a small farm in the state of Pará in the Amazon River basin. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) was notified, and samples were sent to Canada for testing. According to the trade agreement between China and Brazil, Brazil's beef exports to China have been suspended. Following OIE testing, the case of BSE in Brazil was classified as "atypical”.

In 2022, Brazil's cumulative beef exports reached a historical peak of 1.996 million tons, with an average annual export price remaining at a high level of $5,923 per ton. Among them, the volume of beef exported to China reached a historic high of 1.24 million tons, accounting for 62% of Brazil's total beef exports.