Uruguay Beef Exports Hit by New China Suspension
China suspended beef imports from Frigorifico Tacuarembo S.A. after a second imidocarb residue detection. This affects Uruguay's largest meat plant and key trade ties. The post Uruguay Beef Exports Hit by New China Suspension appeared first on The Rio Times .
China has suspended beef imports from a key Uruguayan plant, Frigorífico Tacuarembó S.A., following two detections of imidocarb drug residues exceeding permitted levels. This plant, located in Tacuarembó, Uruguay, is the country's largest meat processing facility and a critical supplier to China. Imidocarb is a veterinary medication used to treat bovine trypanosomiasis, also known as "tristeza bovina."
In 2026, China halted all imports from this facility after the second residue finding. China accounts for 36% of Uruguay's beef exports in the first half of 2025, with a total export value of US$2.68 billion for the year. The suspension is expected to significantly impact Uruguay's beef exports to China, which reached US$862.8 million by end-November 2025.
The Uruguayan agriculture ministry, MGAP, plans to investigate the incident and reinforce controls across the production chain to prevent future residue issues.
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