Brazil is planning on increasing its agricultural exports to China, the country’s senior minister said at a press conference on Jan. 22.
Katia Abreu, Brazil's newly appointed agricultural minister, stressed the importance of Chinese investment in Brazilian agriculture.
Abreu, who is also the president of the Agriculture and Livestock Confederation of Brazil, also pushed for better cooperation between China and Brazil by boosting direct trade and exporting more value-added products.
"We need to sign more trade agreements with China. This desire is very strong for us," she added.
Abreu will lead a delegation to China in March this year that will aim to cut the import tariff on Brazilian coffee.
"Unfortunately, Chinese consumers can only enjoy Brazilian coffee in Starbucks," Abreu said.
"Brazilian coffee is vigorously promoting its brand worldwide and expanding its awareness. I hope that more Chinese people can drink Brazilian coffee."
The minister also intends to convince Chinese authorities to accept Brazil's meat industry health inspection standards, following China's 2012 embargo on beef imported from Brazil after a case of mad cow disease in the South American country. The embargo was only lifted last year.
Brazil's Agricultural Ministry said that beef exports to China are expected to rise significantly in 2015, to at least $700 million from $37 million in 2012.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, China is Brazil's largest importer of agricultural products, making up 22 percent of the Latin American nation's total agricultural exports in 2014 and more than the total amount of its second to fifth biggest importers, namely, the United States, The Netherlands, Russia and Germany.
Comprising nearly a quarter of the country's annual GDP, Brazil is the world's biggest producer and exporter of coffee and the biggest exporter of meat products. It is also a major exporter of sugar, orange juice, corn and soy products.