China declares Brazil free of foot‑and‑mouth disease, boosting meat exports

China announced that the entire Brazilian territory is free of foot‑and‑mouth disease, ending more than two decades of negotiations. The decision lifts previous export restrictions and opens new opportunities for Brazilian beef, pork and related products such as bone‑in cuts, off‑al and bovine bile calculi in the Chinese market, which already accounted for over US$ 50 billion of agribusiness sales in 2025.

Mato Grosso, Brazil’s leading beef exporter, is expected to benefit sharply: January‑April 2026 exports to China reached US$ 797 million, representing 29.6 % of Brazil’s total beef shipments to the country. Officials highlighted that the recognition enhances legal certainty, encourages diversification of export baskets and could stimulate further investments in the sector. Chinese authorities also issued a statement supporting Brazil’s sovereignty and proposing deeper cooperation across multiple domains, underscoring the broader diplomatic context of the announcement.