Beef giant Brazil halts Chinese exports after confirming two cases of mad cow disease

SAO PAULO, Sept. 4 (Reuters) – Brazil, the world’s largest beef exporter, has suspended beef exports to its first customer, China, after confirming two cases of “atypical” mad cow disease at two factories in separate national meat, the Agriculture Ministry announced. Saturday.

The suspension, which is part of an animal health pact between China and Brazil and aims to give Beijing time to take stock of the issue, begins immediately, the ministry said in a statement. China will decide when to start importing again, he added.

The suspension is a blow to Brazilian farmers: China and Hong Kong buy more than half of Brazil’s beef exports.

The cases were identified at meat processing plants in the states of Mato Grosso and Minas Gerais, the ministry said. He said it was the fourth and fifth cases of “atypical” mad cow disease detected in Brazil in 23 years.

He said that “atypical” mad cow disease develops spontaneously and is unrelated to eating contaminated food. Brazil has never had a case of “classic” mad cow disease, he said.

Both cases were confirmed on Friday after samples were sent to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) laboratory in Alberta, Canada, the ministry said. The OIE was subsequently informed of the two cases, in accordance with international standards, the ministry said.

The ministry said there was no risk to animal or human health.

The Brazilian government hopes the suspension will be lifted soon. The country’s powerful agro-industrial sector is one of the main drivers of its lagging economy. China is Brazil’s largest trading partner and buys large amounts of its commodities.

Reporting by Nayara Figueiredo in Sao Paulo Writing by Gabriel Stargardter Editing by Matthew Lewis

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