Vice Presidents of Brazil and China discuss quotas for beef purchases - Valor International

Acting President and Minister of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services, Geraldo Alckmin, spoke on Wednesday by telephone with the Vice President of China, Han Zheng. In the conversation, which lasted about 30 minutes, Alckmin noted that the limitation on beef imports is a concern for the federal government.

At the end of 2025, China announced annual quotas for the purchase of beef from foreign suppliers. As the largest exporter of beef to the Chinese market, Brazil fears the measure could significantly impact the sector.

The quotas came into effect on January 1st and are valid for three years. The initial quota allocated to Brazil is 1.1 million tonnes. Exports exceeding this limit will incur a 55% surcharge. Today, beef exports face a 12% tariff.

The call between the vice presidents was already expected by Brazilian meatpackers. The move is part of a strategy to address the issue carefully and bring the matter to high-level government discussions, with the aim of easing quota requirements.

The Brazilian beef industry is calling for government regulation to ensure quota fulfillment. In addition, there is an effort to ensure that China does not consider cargoes that had already been shipped when the decision was announced on December 31, 2025. Brazil also wants to convince Beijing to allow unfulfilled volumes from other countries’ quotas, such as those of the United States, to be redirected to Brazilian meatpackers.

China has told other exporter countries that the quotas will be managed by Beijing alone. Meatpackers in Brazil, Argentina, and Australia are seeking official means to manage shipment volumes and avoid a “rush” to export, which could disrupt the supply chain and have impacts on commodity prices.

During the call, Alckmin invited Han Zheng to participate in the next meeting of the Sino-Brazilian High-Level Commission for Concertation and Cooperation (Cosban). The date of the event, however, has not yet been defined between the parties.

According to the administration, the two vice presidents highlighted the 8.2% growth in bilateral trade in 2025, which reached a record $171 billion. Alckmin and Zheng reaffirmed their commitment to continue talks to expand and diversify the trade relations between Brazil and China.

Another topic addressed was the opportunities for mutual investment, with emphasis on the infrastructure, technology, innovation, and sustainability sectors.

(Rafael Walendorff contributed reporting.)