JBS and Marfrig suspend activities in 6 refrigerators

JBS and Marfrig, two of the largest refrigerators in the country, announced the suspension of activities in 6 processing units on Wednesday (18). In the case of JBS, there will be 5 refrigerators with activities suspended for 20 days. The group did not report the locations of these units or the number of workers involved (see the full statement below). Marfrig suspended the activities of a group refrigerator located in Tucumã, Pará. The company did not say how many workers are involved or the suspension period. To G1 on Wednesday (18), the company said that the measure aims to "prioritize plants with higher capacity, productivity and better costs" (see the full statement below). Marfrig is one of the world's leading burger producers and has 12 other refrigeration plants. JBS, the world's largest exporter of meat, has 32 other processing facilities in the country. These locations, according to the companies, are still active. This week, Minerva, another giant in the sector, paralysed the activities of 4 plants for up to 15 days, in this case due to the new coronavirus. Industry sources expect other refrigerators to start taking a collective vacation in the coming days. Here's marfrig's announcement: Marfrig informs that its activities at the Tucumã unit in Pará will be suspended on March 17 in continuity with the company's commitment to the search for operational excellence prioritizing plants with higher capacity, productivity and better costs. Read jbs' statement: JBS will temporarily suspend operations of five of its 37 cattle units in Brazil for 20 days in response to lower export demand. These temporary suspensions are common in response to market dynamics.