The preventive and contingency actions of Brazilian meatpackers during the pandemic period were the subject of another live broadcast by the Conexão Brasília project of the Parliamentary Agricultural Front (FPA), held last Tuesday night (04). This debate was attended by the executive director of ABPA, Ricardo Santin; the director of the Department of Inspection of Animal Products of the Ministry of Agriculture, Ana Lúcia Viana; the director of Abrafrigo, Paulo Mustefaga and the coordinator of Animal Production at CNA, Lilian Figueiredo. Participants evaluated the safety standards defined by the government, the current situation of the meat industry in Brazil and prospects until the end of the year. The live is part of a partnership between Canal Rural and the Parliamentary Front for Agriculture (FPA).
The director of the Ministry of Agriculture declared that today there is no plant registered with the SIF (Federal Inspection Service) with activities halted due to contamination from the new coronavirus. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, the production sector and the federal government have been adopting measures to contain the spread of the disease and maintain the functioning of essential activities”, highlighted Ana Lúcia Viana. She recalled that some slaughterhouses temporarily suspended the production line, but at this point they have already resumed.
According to a survey by the Ministry of Agriculture, there are 3,299 establishments processing meat and meat products in the country registered with the Federal Inspection Service (SIF), of which 445 sell animal protein.
Ana Lúcia Viana also clarified that the recommendations manual published in May, which later became Ordinance 19, published in June, provided legal certainty and transparency for the industry to act in this difficult time. The standard was published jointly by the Ministries of Agriculture, Health and Economy. “This rule was to have standardization. All slaughterhouses have biosafety rules that must be adopted, regardless of a pandemic or not”, he pointed out. The ordinance provides procedures for the protection of employees and the health of the food produced, ranging from transportation, access to refrigerators, changing rooms, cafeterias and rest areas.
The director of Abrafrigo reinforced that the industry anticipated and reinforced safety rules even before the quarantine began in Brazil. “The meatpacking industry, when the state of emergency was declared in Brazil and was classified as an essential activity, made a commitment to guarantee all the quality and health safety of production”, highlighted Paulo Mustefaga.
All participants also made a point of reinforcing that there is no scientific evidence of Covid19 transmission through food consumption and highlighted the quality of Brazilian meat.
“Meat does not transmit Covid. The Ministry of Agriculture provides security so that we can obtain and continue to have safe and quality supplies. In the case of exports, people trust our product. There are thousands of containers exported and no one has ever gotten sick”, emphasized the executive director of ABPA, Ricardo Santin. The ABPA leader also added that within the universe of meatpacking plants in the national territory, Brazil has managed to control the spread of the disease. He mentioned that only in poultry and swine plants there are 500 thousand workers.
Paulo Mustefaga also recalled that Brazil exports to more than 150 countries. “Brazil is the largest beef exporter in the world and the second largest beef producer, we have an extremely professional industry, and the sector has been working very seriously to overcome this challenge.”
The CNA Animal Production coordinator expressed optimism with the work being done by ministries and state defense agencies with slaughterhouses. “For us in the production sector, work in the field continues. Our trust remains and our role is to assist establishments and we are available”.
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New markets
At the same time as guaranteeing domestic supply during the pandemic, Brazilian agriculture continues to gain space in the international market, according to the Mapa representative. “We opened new markets. Egypt, for example, authorized 42 Brazilian establishments to supply meat, 27 chicken and 15 beef. No country stopped buying the product from Brazil”, explained the director of the ministry.
A view also shared by Lilian Figueiredo, from CNA. “Exports have been growing. We have to increase our production in the field and the producer has invested in technology. Our perspective is to gain new markets and maintain quality food for our population”, he concluded.
Source: DATA
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