ABPA questions motive for EU ban on Brazil poultry plants

The unanimous decision of the European Union (EU) to ban chicken imports from twenty poultry plants in Brazil has had a strong impact on the poultry industry in this country.

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Rui Vargas, ABPA vice-president, assures there is no justification for the EU to ban exports from twenty Brazilian plants. | Photo by Benjamin Ruiz
Rui Vargas, ABPA vice-president, assures there is no justification for the EU to ban exports from twenty Brazilian plants. | Photo by Benjamin Ruiz

The unanimous decision of the European Union (EU) to ban chicken imports from twenty poultry plants in Brazil has had a strong impact on the poultry industry in this country. It is said that between 30 and 35 percent of Brazilian exports would be affected. BRF is the most affected, because twelve of those twenty plants belong to that company.

The EU asserts that deficiencies in the Brazilian official control system have been detected, however, Rui Vargas, vice-president and technical director of the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) says that they have "difficulties to reach an understanding, because we have always worked and exported to the EU."

The problem lies in the fact that the EU establishes a very rigorous criterion for the product called salted chicken breast, then for raw chicken breast, when both have the same risk, "even though the same destiny of both products is industrialization," said Vargas. Brazil exports chicken with 0.2 percent salt to give a better preservation to the product, since it can take between 25 and 30 days to reach Europe.

Other causes

The ABPA vice-president believes that "there must be some other cause that determines the needs of them [the Europeans] to create a difficult situation for the commercialization of salted chicken breast." Why not fresh chicken breast?

Everything seems to indicate that there must be some economic or political aspect behind this decision "that has generated the discussion of the suspicion of Salmonella contamination, which in reality does not present health risks,” he said. It is worth emphasizing that this crude product, which is said to be contaminated, "will necessarily be cooked before being consumed."

In the past, Brazil negotiated a quota of salted products without tariffs. “We have a quota of 200,000 tons of salted chicken and 20,000 of fresh chicken." Beyond these amounts, tariffs would have to be applied.

Apparently, if a situation is created in which salted chicken breast has Salmonella – although this does not cause any risk to public health – then Brazil would have to export fresh chicken breast and evidently the 200,000 tons do not fall into the 20,000 quota, so that tariffs would have to be paid -- a good profit for the European Union.

“This is something we only assume," said Vargas. “If [Europeans] suspect of the quality of our products, we also suspect what the real cause is."

Real problem with BRF?

“There is not a problem with the plants that are being hold responsible," indicated Vargas, that also says that in the next few days a list of the plants that are going to be banned because of technical issues will be published. “The reality is that none of these plants presents any kind of indication, report or analysis that could compromise their production today." It is the criterion that the European Union applies with which the ABPA does not agree, because technically there is no risk.

The ABPA vice-president does not find any reason to justify the ban of these companies, based on Salmonella control, because this control is completely well established. “Batches destined for export comply with European legislation, within Salmonella expectations expected by the EU, of a prevalence of 14 percent." It is a raw product that is not going to be consumed raw. "I think it's a bit of preciosity from the European Union for this kind of casuistry."

Too much coincidence

Lately, Brazil and its poultry industry has been in the target. Coincidence or not, the truth is that the questionable "fragility" that Brazil could have because of its political problems should not have anything to do with poultry. Is it the only country with political problems?

Vargas believes that such a situation does not justify taking measures against Brazil. Although this cannot be assured, there must not be lack of confidence, of not believing that a country with political problems cannot produce an adequate product, that companies do not have the capacity to produce and export products that comply with the standards. “It has nothing to do one thing to the other."

Brazil continues to produce and export chicken

It is worth mentioning that the companies that are suspected are not all the poultry companies. “We still have many – more than thirty companies – that continue to export the same product under appropriate conditions, complying with European standards, with no problems at all," adds the ABPA executive.

The alleged suspicions of contaminated products happened in 2016 and 2017. Today, in 2018, all of them produce in accordance with European legislation.

 
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