Source: MEATINGPLACE, 11/29/17


Minerva S.A. expects Brazil to resume beef exports to the United States in the first quarter of 2018, CEO Fernando Galletti said in São Paulo Tuesday (28), according to Reuters.

Galletti said his expectation is based on talks with Brazil's federal government. The Ministry of Agriculture didn't respond to a request for comment by Meatingplace.

Another source representing the beef industry confirmed for Meatingplace that shipments are expected to resume in the first quarter 2018, following positive negotiations with the U.S. government in September.

The U.S. announced a suspension of Brazilian fresh beef imports in June, due to “recurring concerns about the safety of the products.” From March to June of this year the United States rejected 1.9 million pounds of Brazilian beef, according to the USDA Food Inspection Service.

The Brazilian industry attributed the blockage to abscesses in meat caused by reactions to vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

Minerva celebrated the opening in October of the U.S. market to beef from Paraguay, where it has 21 percent of total beef production capacity. The company acquired JBS businesses in Mercosur in July and now operates six production facilities in Paraguay, 11 in Brazil, five in Argentina and three in Colombia.

Minerva is currently facing a blockage in exports from Brazil to Russia, which announced the suspension of purchases of all Brazilian beef and pork meat last week. The company said it would meet the Russian demand with production from other facilities in South America.

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