Yesterday, 14th July, was a momentous day for food company, BRF, as it became the first Brazilian company to ship pork to Japan.
This initial shipment left Itajaí port and consisted of filets and shoulder (coppa) of pork, produced at the Campos Novos (SC) unit, one of the two company plants which have been cleared for exports to Japan.
The importer is Mitsubishi, one of the largest players in the meat segment operating in Japan. Commercial relations between Mitsubishi and BRF began at the end of the 1990s and came to fruition three years ago with the shipment of chicken meat.
In addition to Campos Novos, BRF’s Herval D’Oeste (SC) unit has also received approval to slaughter and produce pork for export to the Japanese market. Both plants operate the most internationally advance technology and strictest sanitary conditions and are located in Santa Catarina, the only state in the Brazilian federation to receive OIE (WorldOrganization for Animal Health) recognition as free from foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination, a mandatory requirement for exports to Japan.