By Kylie Madry
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexican authorities will kick off audits of 14 Brazilian meatpacking plants next month to clear them to send exports to Mexico, Luis Rua, secretary of trade at Brazil's agriculture ministry, told Reuters.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
In August, Mexico overtook the U.S. as the No. 2 buyer of Brazil's beef as U.S. tariffs on Brazilian goods took effect. Brazil is the world's top beef exporter.
KEY QUOTE
"There will be an audit in September, Mexico's sanitary agency will go to
Brazil and hopefully soon these 14 (meatpacking plants) will be approved," Rua told Reuters on the sidelines of an event in Mexico City.
ADDITIONAL CONTEXT
The news was first reported by Brazilian outlet Estadao. According to the report, the plants belong to meatpacking majors such as Marfrig, JBS and BRF.
Analysts said that the U.S. tariffs are set to reshape the beef trade, speculating that beef could be sent through Mexico or other countries before ending up in the U.S.
Mexico Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard told Reuters that "it was not the plan" for the increased beef shipments from Brazil to make their way to the U.S.
BY THE NUMBERS
The plants' approval would be in addition to the 35 plants already cleared to export to Mexico, Rua explained.
THE RESPONSE
Mexico's agriculture ministry, which operates the sanitary agency, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
