Suspension of Brazilian beef exports to China presents ‘opportunity’ for Ireland

Brazil’s decision to suspend beef exports to China presents an opportunity for Ireland, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has said. The world’s largest beef exporter was forced to halt its beef trade with China on Saturday after confirming two cases of “atypical” mad cow disease in two separate domestic meat plants. The suspension, which is part of an animal health pact agreed between China and Brazil and is designed to allow Beijing time to take stock of the problem, begins immediately, Brazil’s agriculture’s ministry said in a statement. China will decide when to begin importing again, it added. Exports Brazil exported nearly 400,000 tonnes of beef to China in the first six months of 2021 and supplied 43 per cent of China’s meat imports last year. IFA president Tim Cullinan said the decision by the Brazilian authorities to stop exports to China “presents a huge opportunity for our beef sector”. “The Taoiseach Micheál Martin, the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue ...