JBS will suspend, starting this Saturday (20), the production of beef cuts destined for the Chinese market in 18 of the 34 plants authorized to export to China.
Currently, Brazilian beef pays a 12% tariff to enter China within the established limit. If the quota is exceeded, an additional surcharge of 55% will apply, bringing the total taxation to 67%.
The decision comes amid the sector’s concern about the increase in Chinese imports. In 2026, the amount is 1.1 million tons, and more of it had already been used by the beginning of May, according to official data from China.
In addition, 154 thousand tons of beef for the Chinese market in May alone.
For Fernando Iglesias, an analyst at consultancy Safras & Mercado, JBS’s decision reflects a strategy that has already been adopted by other slaughterhouses exporting beef to the Chinese market.
“It’s not just JBS. Several slaughterhouses are already adopting a different behavior in relation to the production of meat that would be destined for China. They have increased idle capacity and reduced slaughters, thinking about adapting to a scenario of temporary and partial absence of Brazil’s main beef importer”, he explains.
According to Iglesias, companies are seeking to adjust their operations in the face of uncertainties surrounding Chinese import quotas and the risk of higher tariffs.
The analyst emphasizes that, for now, there is no information about more drastic measures, such as collective vacations in refrigeration units. Still, he assesses that the scenario requires attention.
“It is a worrying scenario because it generates a series of instabilities within the Brazilian market and increases downward pressure on cattle prices”, he states. In Iglesias’ assessment, the reduction in slaughter reduces the need for slaughterhouses to purchase animals, which tends to weaken the competition for raw materials.
“If the slaughterhouse reduces slaughter, the need to place cattle within the scale is less. This reduces purchasing pressure and can favor downward movements in arroba prices”, he concludes.
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