Lula says Uruguay authorized Brazil to use the surplus of its beef quota for China, but Beijing has yet to confirm
After a bilateral meeting with Uruguayan president Yamandú Orsi in New York on September 21, Lula thanked the authorization for Brazil to use the surplus of the Uruguayan beef export quota to China. Brazil 2026 quota of 1.106 million tonnes ran out in less than seven months, and shipments above it pay a 55% safeguard; Uruguay is said to have about 80,000 tonnes available. Abiec sees limited effect in 2026 given negotiation and transport lead times, and China, which manages the quotas, has not commented; CNN Brasil reports that a swap involving the Brazilian quota in the European Union is being considered, without confirmation.