China has suspended meat exports by another Brazilian company, Masterboi, which claims it followed all protocols required by the Chinese government – including for the control of Covid-19.
Other meatpackers were also suspended last week, on the grounds that traces of nucleic acid from the new coronavirus were found in packaging. The decision targeted units operated by JBS (JBSS3), Marfrig (MRFG3) and Naturafrig.
Masterboi said in a statement that it was surprised by China’s decision to suspend imports of meat from its unit, of which it was informed through the GACC (General Administration of Customs of China) website.
Three Brazilian meat exporters face temporary suspension from Chinese market
The company said it had not yet been notified by the Ministry of Agriculture and that the “reasons for such a move (to suspend exports) are still totally unknown”.
Masterboi also said that it was never notified by the Chinese authorities of the existence of any traces of Covid-19 on its products in the Asian country and that it followed all the protocols required by the Chinese government – including for the control of the new coronavirus.
The company added that it has already completed the entire vaccination cycle in its units in Brazil. According to the company, the last case of the disease in the unit of São Geraldo do Araguaia (PA) was in January.
