The announcement came as Brazil's BRF issued a statement saying it had been allowed to resume exports to China from a chicken plant in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul state, a decision that will be acted on over the next few days.

Marfrig, another large meat purveyor that faced an import ban amid the pandemic, was cleared to resume beef sales to China from Várzea Grande, Mato Grosso state, the company said separately.

"Chinese authorities concluded that the measures adopted by the ministry and the companies were satisfactory and in compliance with Chinese demands," the agriculture ministry said in the statement.

It did not name either BRF or Marfrig, but the authorizations to resume exports from Dourados and Várzea Grande were published on the website of China's General Administration of Customs.

JBS still has a pork plant in the town of Três Passos and a chicken plant in Passo Fundo affected by China's ban.

Currently, BRF has 15 units certified to sell meat to China, including 10 poultry and five pork facilities, the company said.

BRF's Lajeado unit, in southern Rio Grande do Sul state, was also banned amid the pandemic and remains suspended by China, BRF said.

(Reporting by Nayara Figueiredo; Writing by Ana Mano; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Tom Brown)

By Nayara Figueiredo