MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Russia temporary bans beef and poultry imports from three Brazil Marfrig plants

The temporary suspension of beef exports was due to “repeated nonconformities” said the Russian vet service

The Russian veterinary and phytosanitary service, Rosselkhoznadzor, temporarily suspended imports from two Brazilian beef slaughterhouses and one poultry processing facility on May 17, citing detection of listeria in shipments, according to processors involved.

The beef slaughterhouses include Minerva Foods in Palmeiras, Goias state, and a Marfrig unit in Mineiros, Goias, while the poultry facility was that of Seara Brasil in Itapiranga, Santa Catarina, also owned by Marfrig.

The temporary suspension of beef exports was due to “repeated nonconformities” found in shipments from both Marfrig and Minerva slaughterhouses, the Russian agency wrote on its website. It noted that monitoring of the Seara poultry unit will be increased.

Minerva Foods confirmed the Russian suspension on Tuesday evening. Other units are still permitted to export there, and will pick up the orders from the Palmeiras slaughterhouse to avoid any impact from the suspension.

Marfrig had not been formally notified by Rosselkhoznadzor of suspensions to its two units, as of Tuesday.

If suspensions are enforced, exports to Russia will continue in the scheduled volume, with other Marfrig Beef and Seara slaughterhouses supplementing, the company said.

In the first quarter of this year, Marfrig's sales to Russia accounted for 1.7% of the company's consolidated revenue.
 

The last temporary suspension by Rosselkhoznadzor against Brazilian meat was on April 25, when it stopped imports of tripe from four Brazilian slaughterhouses, three of which were JBS-Friboi affiliates, for alleged detection of ractopamine residue. (Argentine Beef Packers SA)