SAO PAULO, March 12 (Reuters) - The Brazilian government has said 38 additional meat plants have been cleared to sell products to China in what it hailed as an historic move as both countries celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations, according to a statement on Tuesday.
China is the main destination for Brazilian exports of beef, pork and chicken, the Brazilian government noted.
The Asian country imported 2.2 million metric tons of meat valued at more than $8.2 billion from Brazil last year, the statement said.
ABPA, a lobby group representing pork and poultry processors including BRF and JBS, welcomed the decision, saying this is the first time in five years China cleared new Brazilian chicken plants.
"The outlook is good for Brazilian sales to the Asian country thanks to the new licenses, especially considering new business groups will have access to this important market for the first time," ABPA's markets director Luis Rua said in a statement.
The agriculture ministry said Brazil now has 144 meat plants authorized to export to China, including the 38 new permits announced on Tuesday.
Abrafrigo, a beef lobby, said more export authorizations will make Brazil more competitive against rival suppliers in the United States, for example.
"Additional export permits will no doubt increase exports to China," said Abrafrigo president Paulo Mustefaga, citing supply issues in the U.S., which also sells large meat volumes to China but currently is dealing with low cattle inventories.
The 38 new licenses include eight export permits for chicken slaughterhouses, 24 for cattle slaughterhouses, one for a beef processing unit and five for chicken, pork and beef warehouses.
"It is a historic day in the Brazil-China trade relationship, a historic day for our agriculture," Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro was quoted as saying in the government's statement. (Reporting by Ana Mano and Roberto Samora, Editing by Louise Heavens and Marguerita Choy)
