Brazil’s meatpacking industry believes there is a high probability that beef exports to the European Union will be interrupted from September due to the lack of a system capable of certifying that antimicrobials were not used throughout the animals’ entire life cycle.
While the government continues negotiating a transition period with Brussels, it is also considering expanding the ban on these products nationwide, a measure opposed by producers.
Roberto Perosa, president of the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (Abiec), said there is still no official decision on the industry’s request to further restrict antimicrobials. Although the European Union accounts for only around 6% of the volume and value of Brazilian beef exports, he stressed that it is a strategic market because of its high added value and its influence on other destinations. In 2025, Brazil exported 128,000 tons of beef to the bloc, worth close to US$ 1 billion.
Perosa said a potential suspension of exports could last at least two years, the time required to produce cattle that comply with the new European traceability and sanitary certification requirements. He added that the entire supply chain —meatpackers, producers and the government— is working to find a solution that would allow trade with the EU to continue, although he warned that 2026 will be particularly challenging due to the combination of China’s quotas and uncertainty surrounding the European market.
Abiec estimates that Brazilian beef exports will fall by around 10% this year and acknowledged that some plants have already begun granting collective vacations or are considering temporary staff suspensions.
Source: Globo Rural
