China suspends beef exports from Uruguay's Frigorífico Tacuarembó

China has temporarily suspended beef exports from the Uruguayan meatpacking plant Frigorífico Tacuarembó after detecting residues of the veterinary drug imidocarb exceeding permitted limits. This marks the second such finding involving this specific facility in 2026, following a previous incident in May.

Imidocarb is an authorized medication in Uruguay used to treat hemoparasites like Babesia and Anaplasma. While the drug is permitted, regulations require a 213-day waiting period after administration before animals can be slaughtered.

The Uruguayan Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) is conducting an exhaustive investigation using traceability systems to identify the specific livestock farms involved and implement corrective measures. While the detection has raised questions regarding sanitary controls and the potential destination of other animals from the same farms, there is currently no official information indicating that meat sold within the domestic Uruguayan market is affected.