Previously, Fernando Mattos, the Minister of MLAF, stated that he would be visiting China in May. On Monday (May 8th), he led a delegation that arrived in Hong Kong, China, marking the start of their official visit. Accompanying the delegation are Fernando Lugris, the Uruguayan Ambassador to China, and Facundo Fernández Guerra, the Uruguayan Consul General in South China. Additionally, the Customs Administration has just announced the addition of frozen beef products from Uruguay, specifically "Other Beef Offal (Frozen Beef Bones)," for importation to China.

The Uruguayan delegation's visit to China will resume negotiations on the current phytosanitary and quarantine protocols. Since the signing of the existing agreement in 2018, hundreds of thousands of tons of agricultural and livestock products have been exported to China. Considering Uruguay's beef production capacity and the current volume of exports to China, there is still potential for increasing export quantities. For example, reducing the pre-slaughter quarantine period from 90 days to 45 days and expanding the export of more beef by-products such as tripe and tongue to China.

According to customs data, Uruguay's beef exports to China in April this year reached the lowest level since August 2020 (nearly 32 months), totaling around 14,000 tons, a decrease of 8,575 tons compared to March. The immediate effect of this visit is evident as Uruguayan beef products have smoothly entered China, and there may be more Uruguayan meat exports to China in the future.

The Minister of MAPA and the delegation will also participate in the 2023 Shanghai International Food Exhibition in China. As one of the most important exhibitions in Asia, they hope to expand the influence of Uruguayan beef in the Chinese market and enhance trade relations with China.