Announcements came despite flurry of meetings that Brazilian President Michel Temer held with ambassadors and numerous assurances from the government that Brazilian meats in general are safe
A scandal over alleged bribery in Brazil’s meat-packing industry to allow the sale of expired meat deepened Monday as the European Union, China and Chile decided to halt some meat imports from Latin America’s largest nation.
The developments represent a major blow to Brazil, one of the world’s largest exporters of meat, which is struggling to emerge from its worst recession in decades.
The announcements came despite a flurry of meetings that Brazilian President Michel Temer held with ambassadors and numerous assurances from the government that Brazilian meats in general are safe.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels, European Union spokesman Enrico Brivio said the Brazilian companies involved in alleged bribery would be temporarily barred from shipping meat to the EU.
The EU « will guarantee that any of the establishments involved in the fraud will be suspended, » said Brivio, who didn’t cite companies by name or say how long the ban would last.
A few hours later, Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi said China had suspended the unloading of Brazilian meats in Chinese ports. Maggi played down that development, saying Chinese authorities were in the process of asking for more information.
« There is no Chinese embargo, » Maggi told reporters in Brasilia. « What we have are containers there that can’t leave the port to local markets. »
Chile followed suit, announcing the temporary suspension of Brazilian meats, said Angel Sartori, director of that country’s Agricultural and Livestock Service.
