[2019-09-05] China plans to broaden the type of products it imports from Brazil

Source: Macauhub

Over the past decade, China has been the largest buyer of Brazilian agricultural products, and now intends to extend imports to other products, such as beef, said China’s ambassador to Brazil, Yang Wanming.

During a meeting on Monday of the Higher Council of Agribusiness (Cosag) of the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP), the ambassador, after recalling that the current consumption of beef is 4.0 kilogrammes per person in China, mentioned forecasts that this consumption would be expected to double by 2027, requiring imports of more than 8 million tonnes, which exceeds total European production.

“In the last four years, Chinese imports of Brazilian beef have increased six-fold and represent about one-third of Brazil’s annual exports,” said the ambassador, adding that this situation can be extended to other Brazilian products, such as fruit, dairy products and poultry.

Another product pointed out by the ambassador as having import potential is Brazilian coffee, as he said, China is currently the world’s largest emerging coffee consumer, with annual growth of approximately 30%, “with Chinese imports of coffee produced in Brazil increasing by more than 20% year on year in the first five months of 2019.”

Yang Wanming, quoted by Comex, also said that several Chinese companies are interested in exploring partnerships with Brazilian companies and farms in the research and development phases, with the Chinese government, in contrast, expecting its Brazilian counterpart to introduce measures that facilitate investment and cooperation in the areas mentioned.