By Roberto Samora and Ana Mano
SAO PAULO, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Brazilian government may assign individual export quotas for domestic beef companies selling products to China, Luis Rua, trade secretary at Brazil's ministry of agriculture, said in an interview on Wednesday.
The measure is an attempt "to organize the industry" after the announcement of "safeguard measures" by China aimed at curbing imports and protecting its local industry, Rua said.
"It's an ongoing discussion," the official said by
telephone. "We're talking with the private sector to find alternatives to avoid an uncontrolled race," he said in relation to exporters potentially "rushing" to send beef to China, which could, for example, lower prices.
The plan to assign individual company quotas may be discussed as early as Thursday at a meeting of Brazil's Foreign Trade Chamber (CAMEX), Rua said.
China imposed an added 55% tariff on beef imports that exceed quota levels from key suppliers including Brazil, Australia and the U.S.
The measure took effect on January 1 for three years, with the total quota set to increase annually.
The total Chinese import quota for 2026 for countries covered under its new "safeguard measures" is 2.7 million metric tons, roughly in line with the record 2.87 million tons it imported overall in 2024.
China is Brazil's main trade partner overall.
Last year, Brazil exported 1.648 million metric tons of fresh beef to the Asian nation, an all-time record.
As per Beijing's announcement, Brazil's import quota will be 1.106 million tons in 2026, 1.128 million tons in 2027 and 1.151 million tons in 2028.
Rua said it remains unclear whether volumes in transit right before Beijing's announcement -- estimated by the industry at around 250,000 tons --, according to the official, would be factored in 2026's quota for Brazil.
(Reporting by Ana Mano and Roberto Samora; editing by Diane Craft)
