MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

China makes remote video inspections of sanctioned Brazilian slaughterhouses

According to auditor Adriano Guahyba four abattoirs were inspected: two from Seara, in Passo Fund; one from BRF, and another from Minuano, both in Lajeado.

Chinese officials carried out a remote inspection of Brazilian slaughterhouses whose exports to the Asian country have been suspended due to Covid-19 cases among employees.

According to an agricultural tax auditor who accompanied the video inspection, the inspection was positive. The resumption of sales, however, depends on the correction of some minor non-conformities that were detected.

According to auditor Adriano Guahyba, in Rio Grande do Sul state, four slaughterhouses were inspected: two from Seara, in Passo Fundo and Três Passos; one from BRF, and another from Minuano, both in Lajeado.

According to the auditor, there is still no document showing the conclusion of the Chinese inspection. However, the Asian authorities’ “verbal opinion” was favorable. Chinese documentation showing the inspection results and the subsequent release of sales by the General Customs Authority of China (GACC), will only occur after the slaughterhouses correct the non-conformities pointed out by the Chinese.

According to the auditor, the problems detected are small and, apparently, easy to solve. The four slaughterhouses in Rio Grande do Sul had at least one type of non-conformity pointed out, and one of the plants had four non-conformities to correct, Guahyba revealed.

In a note published on Wednesday, ANFFA Sindical (the national union of agricultural tax auditors) celebrated the result of the inspection, during which eight slaughterhouses were remotely inspected between the end of September and the beginning of October.

“In the next few days, the final result and the probable resumption of exports to the eastern country should come out,” states the text by ANFFA Sindical. The Chinese decision period is always viewed with caution by the Ministry of Agriculture. In Brazil, there are guidelines in place to avoid addressing the issue so as not to offend the Chinese, to the extent that ANFFA’s statement was eventually taken down.

China is the major destination for Brazilian exports, accounting for 37% of revenue from meat shipments. Between January and September, China spent US$ 4.7 billion to import 1.5 million tons of meat, according to data from SECEX, the foreign trade secretariat, compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture.