EN 
PT_BR 
The recognition of Brazilian territory as a foot-and-mouth disease-free zone without vaccination by China will have a positive impact on livestock farming in Paraná, according to an analysis by the Faep System. The measure has the potential to expand commercial opportunities for the state, which has already been recognized as a disease-free zone since 2021. The Chinese government's decision comes after more than two decades of negotiations and eliminates sanitary restrictions that still limited some Brazilian exports of livestock products.
Photo: Shutterstock
The announcement comes a year after the World Organisation for Animal Health (WHO) recognized Brazil as a country free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination, the result of a decades-long process involving rural producers, official veterinary services, and state governments.
“Paraná’s high sanitary status and the organization of its livestock chain put the state in a favorable position to take advantage of the new commercial scenario. The main expected outcome is the strengthening of the competitiveness of our proteins, even more so for a consumer market with high demand, such as China,” assesses the president of the Faep System, Ágide Eduardo Meneguette.
In practice, the decision could result in increased Chinese demand for animal proteins produced in Brazil, more opportunities for export-oriented meat processing plants located in Paraná, sustained or higher prices for finished cattle if exports grow, and positive effects on the replacement market, especially for calves and steers.
Photo: Thais Rodrigues de Sousa
According to Fábio Peixoto Mezzadri, a technician from the Technical and Economic Department (DTE) of the Faep System, the numbers already demonstrate the relevance of the Chinese market for Paraná's beef cattle industry. "In 2025, Paraná exported 23,500 tons of beef products to China, generating US$126.9 million. The main volume corresponds to frozen boneless beef, responsible for the largest share of the value exported by the State," he explains.
As the main destination for Brazilian agribusiness exports, China accounted for more than US$$ 50 billion in purchases from the sector in 2025. "The sanitary recognition reinforces confidence in national production chains and strengthens the strategic partnership between the two countries, while creating new possibilities for expansion for Brazilian producers and exporters, and especially those from Paraná," concludes Mezzadri.
