BRASILIA: Russia has imposed a temporary ban on imports from 10 Brazilian meat processing plants.
Eight beef processing plants including three owned by Marfrig and two by JBS have been blocked for exports after Russian inspectors from Rosselkhoznadzor, the federal service for veterinary and phytosanitary surveillance, visited the plants in March.
Brazilian pork and poultry processor, BRF, had exports from one of its plants blocked as did local company Frigoestrela.
In a statement on its website, Rosselkhoznadzor said the inspection revealed “shortcomings associated primarily with traceability in the manufacture of food products and casings, as well as the organisation of veterinary inspection and veterinary-sanitary examination of the enterprises”.
Marfrig told just-food only one of the three plants subject to the ban supplied to Russia. “The total exports to Russia should not be affected due to the embargo and will continue to be performed by five others units in the Marfrig Beef in Brazil and four units in Uruguay, therefore there will be no impact in terms of volume and profitability.”
A spokesperson for JBS said: “From time to time, Russia revises the lists of establishments approved for exports destination Russia. Russian vets do audits in loco and product is analysed upon arrival. The results can be that plants are removed and re-listed periodically and that is normal practice. The company has a total of 31 other establishments in Brazil which are Russian approved so the delisting does not jeopardise trade to our Russian customers nor does it cause any material losses to the company.”
