In a mission that leads to expand and consolidate markets in Asia for Brazilian agricultural products, Luís Rangel, Secretary of Defense for Agriculture and Livestock of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MPLS), met with government officials who should be able to sign protocols such as the sale of Brazilian melon to China. It is expected that the signing will take place in November, when Minister Blairo Maggi will participate in the China International Import Expo – CIIE.
According to the secretary, it was signaled the possibility of a Chinese mission coming to final qualification to slaughterhouses in Brazil in two months. And there were talks about possible suspension of measures that were taken by Brazil in relation to Chinese fish factories, due to an audit already carried out by Brazilian technicians.
“In a document signed by the parties, we are to consolidate an agenda for the agriculture ministers by the end of the year. And there will be a visit of the Chinese Minister of Customs to Brazil at the end of October, when he will meet with Minister Blairo Maggi, “said the secretary.
Rangel, Substitute Secretary for International Relations of Agribusiness, Leandro Feijó, and technical staff met with officials from the Ministry of Customs. After management changes in this area, the work of the agency dealing with demands for certification, inspection, surveillance, certification was fractioned and distributed to different agencies under the responsibility of this ministry.
Also discussed in China was the outbreak of African swine fever in the country. “We are taking steps not only to keep commerce running, but also to preserve the Brazilian market for a disease that has not existed in Brazil since 1981,” Rangel said.
The mission, which is in Saudi Arabia, was also in Hong Kong and Vietnam. In the latter country there was a meeting with local authorities, such as the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, with his team of vegetable and animal area. “There are positive expectations in Vietnam, which include fruits and flours (animal by-products, pigs, poultry, cattle),” the secretary said.
According to him, “for swine and birds, almost immediate signaling was obtained from the Saudi side and from the Vietnamese side of suspension of embargo, which happened even before any mission.” For cattle meal, they consider the need for on-site verification, he said. To do so, a mission of the Vietnamese should be scheduled later this year to check the sanitary status and move forward in this negotiation. “With regard to fruit, the intention is to take back the agenda that was stagnant.”
In Hong Kong, the meeting served to clarify points, especially in relation to the Brazilian health system, to deal with export food safety assurances and to detail how the certification and traceability process works. “We did presentations of animal health, with information from the director Guilherme Marques, and also from the point of view of public health.”
The explanations, according to Rangel, “were instrumental in enhancing credibility in the Brazilian certification model, maintaining an expanded list of establishments offering products to Hong Kong.”
In Saudi Arabia, there are also visits to shops, supermarkets and the Ministry of Agriculture, in an agenda that aims to open the market for live animals. “Live animals are destined for a specific religious slaughter in these Muslim countries. We operate in this way with Turkey, which has a similar market, “he explained.
There will also be a meeting with the department of public health, product inspection, to clarify and inform on all the process of the last months, reforms and improvements in the Brazilian system, to reduce the problems caused in the image of Brazilian products as a result of operations of the Federal Police.
In the country, there are no embargoes, but the meetings will serve as repositioning and for further advancement in the future, with the presentation of new plants, in order to demonstrate that the system is more robust, besides showing the safety of procedures.
In Singapore, there will also be a meeting like Saudi Arabia, with additional clarification to reassure the government authorities about measures taken on the MPLS and on the need to keep the market open. This is because there is no reason to maintain embargo on Brazilian meat. “The so-called” face to face “with these authorities is fundamental for the Brazilian government,” he emphasized.
This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.