[Source/Observer Network, Ruan Jiaqi]

As the United States' beef exports to China have stalled, while Australia has quickly filled the gap, Brazil also has its eyes on this $1.6 billion "delicious bun".

According to Brazilian news website "G1", on Thursday (the 17th), Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Carlos Favaro stated that after nearly 400 slaughterhouses in the United States had their export qualifications revoked by China, Brazil is willing to "recommend itself" to China as an alternative supplier to meet China's beef demand.

The report said that these remarks were made at the BRICS Agricultural Ministers Meeting held in Brasilia. Minister Favaro pointed out that against the backdrop of the ongoing escalation of tariff wars between China and the United States, the Chinese government decided not to restore the export qualifications of American meat processing plants to China, creating a "opportunity" for Brazil to further consolidate its position as a global protein supplier.

"Just a few days ago, China suspended the approval of access qualifications for 395 American beef processing plants. Someone must step in to provide the beef originally supplied by the United States," he frankly stated. "Now Brazil is rising, and we have the strong willingness and ability to fill this gap. I firmly believe that we can seize this market space and become a high-quality beef supplier for (China)."

Minister Favaro emphasized that Brazil does not intend to completely replace the United States' position in the Chinese market but sees opportunities for its own development because Brazil is one of the countries with the strongest agricultural expansion capabilities in the world.

"Undoubtedly, Brazil is one of the very few countries in the world capable of expanding production areas by tens of millions of hectares. Of course, Brazil will gradually become a food security country, not only for China but for all countries in the world," he said.

Carlos Favaro, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (center). Brazilian news website "G1".

At the meeting, Minister Favaro also confirmed that customs representatives from China will meet with Brazilian authorities in Brasilia next Tuesday (the 22nd) to hold a technical conference on quarantine agreements and expand bilateral trade topics.

Brazilian media reported that this meeting was considered as preparatory work for President Lula's visit to China in May. Trade issues are expected to be one of the core topics of Lula's visit to China.

"Obviously, we hope to expand our trade with China. I think, given that nearly 400 factories in the United States have not yet regained their qualifications, China will need to make choices, and we will actively showcase our advantages," Minister Favaro said.

Data from the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (Abiec) shows that in 2024, Brazil was the largest supplier of imported beef to China, with imports reaching 1.33 million tons, accounting for 47% of China's total annual beef imports. According to data provided by U.S. trade data provider Global Agritrends, last year the United States exported about 170,000 tons of beef to China.

Additionally, according to a January report by Argentina's La Nación, out of the 2.87 million tons of beef imported by China in 2024, 2.18 million tons (76% of the total) came from the three countries in Mercosur with trade relations with China—Brazil, Argentina (595,000 tons), and Uruguay (244,000 tons).

Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on the 16th that this week, senior officials from the Chinese agricultural sector delegation will also meet in Brasilia to discuss how to expand Brazil's exports to China.

Brazilian government officials revealed that, amid China's booming demand for agricultural products, the talks will focus on the export of Brazilian agricultural products such as soybeans and beef to China, as well as "how to fill the gap left by American tariffs." Other proposed topics include expanding Brazil's production capacity and China's certification of Brazilian slaughterhouses.

In addition, the talks will also discuss China's latest ten-year agricultural development plan, including food security and strengthening agricultural innovation. The Hong Kong media said that these goals may affect long-term trade between China and Brazil.

Larissa Wachholz, former advisor to Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture on Sino-Brazilian relations and researcher at the Brazilian Center for International Relations, pointed out that this meeting provides Brazil with an opportunity to emphasize its role as a reliable supplier.

"When China and the United States clash over tariffs, Brazil needs to reaffirm its role as a stable partner. This meeting is an opportunity to build trust," she said.

This visit coincides with Brazil hosting the BRICS Agricultural Ministers Meeting as the rotating chair. According to "G1", during this BRICS meeting, agriculture ministers from member states discussed measures to respond to global trade protectionism and trade barriers. Minister Favaro noted that although the "tariff war" initiated by the United States was not the main focus of this meeting, it ran through some discussions.

This Brazilian minister also pointed out that one of the important issues discussed and reached consensus among BRICS countries is the necessity of expanding agricultural trade within the group.

He said, "Obviously, the current provocative actions of the U.S. government, along with unprecedented trade protectionist measures, will undoubtedly prompt us to strengthen the geopolitical power of the BRICS group and seek new development opportunities."

This article is an exclusive contribution from Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7494548657052828194/

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