China suspends purchase of chicken from BRF

BRASILIA-two chicken exporters had their export licenses to China suspended on suspicion of infection. China has identified dioxin-contaminated loads, substance that can harm human health. The products were derived from the unity of the BRF in Rio Verde (GO) and Bello Foods Ltda in Itaquiraí (MS).
Documents and e-mails obtained by the State show that the Chinese will require an appraisal report for exporters of animal protein to prove that the charges delivered to the country are not contaminated by the substance. The Brazilian Government came to argue that the measure would generate increased costs and bureaucracy and pondered, during meeting with representatives of Health Defense of China, that the case is punctual.
The suspected contamination occurs four months after visit to Brazil of the Chinese Prime Minister, Li Keqiang, in which the Government Dilma Rousseff signed a series of agreements, including some animal protein export. It also occurs on the eve of the trip of the Minister of agriculture, Kátia Abreu, to Asia, in which hopes to close new deals. The objective of the Government is to avoid that this case can be used as justification for future barriers.
Emails exchanged between the Brazilian Embassy in China, the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of agriculture show that the first Chinese release occurred on July 29, when two batches of chicken of BRF showed dioxin levels classified as high by the Chinese Government.
The documents report that still in a meeting with the Chargé d'affaires of the Embassy of Brazil in Beijing, Minister Marcelo Della Nina, Deputy Director General of the Import and Export Food Safety Bureau, Bi Kexin, classified the case as "delicate and important".
The Chinese Executive said Brazilian Minister was not given publicity to the case to seek to resolve the issue "delicately, but safeguarding the interests of consumers". He and other Chinese Executive did point to remind the Brazilian in recent cases involving Ireland and Chile treatment was different, with immediate and dissemination of commercial suspension problem.
In the first shipment, in addition to dioxin, was found, according to the Chinese authorities, the bacteria salmonella. The Embassy, however, do not report the contamination level of the load. On day 21 of August, Customs has detected new cases of dioxin.
The Minister of agriculture, Kátia Abreu, told the State that these procedures are standard. "We maintain the rigour in defense. We are in conversation with China. "
In a statement, the BRF classified the case as punctual. "The BRF reports that are dealing with an isolated theme, related to one-off export of chicken from the Rio Verde unit to China. The issue is already under control and in accordance with the legislation in force in the country. " The report failed to contact with Baker food. The information is from the newspaper O Estado de s. Paulo.