After embargo, Saudi Arabia resumes imports from meatpacking plants in Brazil’s Minas Gerais

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Saudi Arabia resumed on Thursday, 16, beef imports from five meatpacking plants in Minas Gerais state, according to its official website, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), the government agency that regulates food and medicines in the country.

Purchases had been suspended on September 6 after confirmation of an atypical case of “mad cow” disease in the state.

The embargo had affected one unit of Plena Alimentos S/A, in Pará de Minas; two units of Supremo Carnes, in Ibirité and Campo Belo; one unit of MaxiBeef Carnes, in Carlos Chagas; and another unit of Dimeza Alimentos, of the Fricon Group, in Contagem.

The Saudi measure had come into force precisely when the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) concluded that the two cases of the disease identified in Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso do not represent a risk for the Brazilian beef production chain.

Now, Brazil is focused on advancing negotiations with China to release the beef import market, which was voluntarily halted by Brazil while more information about the cases was being analyzed.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Agriculture said there was no forecast for resumption of sales to the Chinese.

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