Brazil keeps knocking on Japan's door

A Japanese delegation arrived in Brazil last Friday to set the date and itinerary for inspections at meatpacking plants, a decisive step toward enabling Brazilian beef exports to the Japanese market. The information was confirmed by Marcel Moreira, under secretary for Trade and International Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture, during an event at Agrishow in Ribeirão Preto (SP). According to Moreira, the visit was made possible by the positive response obtained during President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s recent trip to Japan. “The exact timing and procedure for inspecting the plants will now be defined,” he said.

In today’s tariff laden environment, the country is weighing the risks and opportunities for exports of products such as coffee, orange juice, beef, sugar and ethanol. Moreira warned that Brazilian beef faces a tariff of up to 38.5 %. Even so, he believes Brazil should maintain or even increase exports thanks to its competitive costs.