In China, they claim that Argentina is one step away from gaining access with beef offal

Argentina is at just one step to export beef offal to China. In early June, under the supervision of Senasa, China’s GACC conducted a final audit of Argentine slaughterhouses and laboratories. “This marked a key step toward signing a sanitary agreement, paving the way for Argentina to begin exporting beef offal to China”, said OIG+X in its Monthly Report.

Till now, Uruguay is the only country of Mercosur that can sell beef offal directly to China and that reflects in much higher export prices than the ones achieved by Argentina exporters.

From January to May Uruguay exported beef offal at an average value of US$/t 1,735, with China the destination of 84% of sales. In the same months, Argentina exported beef offal at an average value of US$/t 1,606 (8% below Uruguay) and its main destination is Russia with 34% of the volume.

In the case of tripe differences are much more notorious. Uruguay sells at an average value of US$/t 4,804, with China buying 60% of the volume (even with several plants that still cannot sell tripe directly to China) and Argentina exported at an average value of US$/t 2,228, 54% below.

Argentine industry sources consulted by WBR were skeptical about a fast habilitation of offal to China. An Argentine government official will have to travel to China to sign the agreement, and for the moment, there is no date set for this trip.