Brazil Enhances Meat Export Competitiveness with Private Inspection Authorization and China Resuming Chicken Imports
Brazil authorizes private firms to aid meat inspections and sees China's return as a top import market, boosting export competitiveness.
- • Government allows private companies to assist in mandatory slaughter inspections at no cost to the public sector.
- • New decree aims to reduce bottlenecks and improve operational efficiency for export-oriented meat facilities.
- • China lifted its ban on Brazilian chicken imports after avian influenza was eradicated, restoring an important trade relationship.
- • Brazilian authorities, including Agriculture Minister Carlos Fávaro, led diplomatic efforts to reopen key markets and renegotiate sanitary protocols.
Key details
The Brazilian government has enacted key regulatory changes aimed at boosting the country's meat export competitiveness. On October 7, 2023, a decree was signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Agriculture Minister Carlos Fávaro that permits meat processing plants to contract private companies to assist with sanitary inspections during slaughter. This policy modifies the 2020 regulation related to the Federal Inspection Service (SIF) by allowing accredited private entities to support mandatory ante mortem and post mortem inspections at the expense of the slaughterhouses, not the government. The change is intended to streamline slaughter operations and address bottlenecks, particularly in export-focused facilities reliant on continuous inspections. Industry bodies such as the Brazilian Meat Exporters Association (ABIEC) and the Brazilian Poultry Association (ABPA) backing this move believe it will raise production efficiency and international competitiveness (Source: 134020).
In a related development, China has lifted its import ban on Brazilian chicken meat which had been imposed in May following an avian influenza outbreak at a farm in Montenegro, Brazil. China, Brazil's largest chicken meat importer, had imported 562.2 thousand tons in 2024 alone, worth over half a billion dollars in revenue in the first five months of the year. After Brazil declared itself free of the disease in June by disinfecting the affected farm and maintaining 28 days with no new cases, the European Union also recognized Brazil as avian influenza-free in September, allowing exports to resume. The Chinese customs administration announced the suspension lift on October 7, 2025. ABPA credited Brazil's technical competence and diplomatic efforts led by Agriculture Minister Carlos Fávaro for swiftly restoring trade with major importers like China. The ministry renegotiated sanitary certificates to minimize future suspensions (Source: 134013).
Together, these initiatives aim to modernize Brazil's sanitary inspection infrastructure and restore confidence in its meat exports globally, especially amidst rising demand from key markets such as China and the EU. The reforms address both operational challenges domestically and international concerns about food safety, contributing to improving Brazil’s position as a leading meat exporter.