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© GRAPHIC NEWS

© GRAPHIC NEWS

© GRAPHIC NEWS

Graphic shows top 10 destinations for Brazilian beef and chicken.
GN35224EN

BUSINESS

Brazil’s meat exports suffer

By Duncan Mil

March 22, 2017 - Fallout from Brazil’s tainted-meat scandal -- in which inspectors are accused of taking bribes to allow exports of spoiled beef and poultry -- has widened with import bans by Hong Kong, China and the EU. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt are also stepping up checks.

Brazil is still reeling from massive graft scandals involving state-controlled oil company Petrobras and construction and engineering firm Odebrecht.

Now, Brazil’s so-called Weak Flesh investigation has generated allegations of widespread bribery in the meat supply industry.

Investigators say they have evidence that 21 meat companies bribed government inspectors to approve sales and exports, even when the meat and poultry were contaminated or spoiled. Thirty-three federal inspectors are being investigated, according to the Agriculture Ministry

China and Hong Kong were the destinations for about a third of the $5.5 billion of beef shipped from Brazil last year, according to the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries (ABIEC).

Poultry sales in 2016 reached $5.9 billion, according to Brazilian government data.

Link to ABIEC report
Link to ABPA report

Sources
PUBLISHED: 22/03/2017; STORY: Graphic News
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