China reopens its consumer market to Brazilian meat exports

(Dow Jones) -- China reopened its consumer market to Brazilian meat exports, officials in the South American country said Saturday, after a scare over alleged corruption in Brazil's sanitary inspection services prompted major importers to bar shipments.After a week of frantic negotiations, Brazilian Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi said China had lifted "preventive measures" put in place to keep Brazilian meat from reaching consumers."This is a categorical testament to the robustness and quality of the Brazilian sanitary system," Maggi said in a statement.China, the biggest importer of Brazilian meat, was among a number of countries to impose trade restrictions after Brazil's Federal Police alleged on March 17 that 21 meatpacking plants had committed violations that included bribing health inspectors for certificates.The investigation, dubbed Weak Flesh, left Brazil cut off from some of its most important export markets, including China, Egypt and the European Union.China's reopening didn't apply to the 21 plants under investigation, nor to any meat inspected by the officials accused of corruption.With the economic cost of the restrictions mounting, Brazilian officials hope other nations will follow in China's footsteps. A delegation from the European Union, Brazil's No. 2 market for meat exports, is visiting the South American country in coming days to meet with health and food-safety officials."China, with this decision, shows that it understood that there were problems with a few meatpackers that don't reflect the entire system," said Pericles Salazar, head of an association that represents small and medium-size slaughterhouses in Brazil. "China's decision is going to stimulate other countries to lift sanctions."