Brazil-based meat processor JBS has announced that China lifted ban on two of its plants that were closed last year over Covid-19 concerns.

The two plants are located in the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Out of two plants, one is a pork facility at Três Passos, while the other is a chicken products facility at Passo Fundo.

These two facilities were closed after coronavirus outbreak among the employees.

The virus outbreak at the facilities also led to production disruptions.

Around 25 JBS meat processing units in Brazil are now authorised to export meat to China.

JBS said that currently none of its meat plants in Brazil face restrictions from China, which is the biggest buyer of Brazilian meat, reported Reuters.

A pork facility operated by Aurora in neighboring Santa Catarina state is also likely to resume exports to China following the lifting of the ban.

Meatprocessors in Santa Catarina, which the largest pork producing state in Brazil, spent an additional $10.36m in 2020 to replac high-risk employees, and to hire health monitors, said state industry group head Jorge Lima.

In July last year, the Chinese government suspended imports from five Brazilian meat processing plants as part of its Covid-19 protective measures.

However, the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) president Francisco Turra had then stated that there were ‘no technical basis for Chinese measures’ and all the meat products exported from Brazil to China were analysed and found to be not contaminated.