Uruguay strengthens health controls to protect the meat export chain to China

Uruguay announced a tightening of controls and sampling in its meat industry following the return from China of a shipment of beef that had residues of a tick medication. The measure aims to protect traceability, the health reputation, and the logistical continuity of a trade flow that represents more than 60% of the sector's exports. The Vice Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries, Matías Carámbula, confirmed that controls in the meat processing plants will be intensified and sanctions will be increased in cases where contamination is detected, in order to guarantee compliance with international requirements. "China is a key market and these types of episodes require doubling the care in the entire chain," he pointed out. A strategic trade partner During 2024, Uruguay exported 240,000 tons of beef and bovine by-products to China, consolidating it as its main destination. This volume represents around 6% of Uruguay's total beef exports, which shows the logistical and ...