TL;DR: JBS expands Brazil’s Campo Grande II plant, making it Latin America’s largest beef facility, boosting exports, especially to China.
JBS revealed plans on Friday to ramp up operations at its Campo Grande II facility in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The move will make the location the largest beef plant in Latin America and one of JBS’s top three worldwide, according to a release from the company.
The R$150 million (US$29 million) investment should double the plant’s processing capacity to 4,400 animals daily within a year, accompanied by a workforce expansion to 4,600 employees from 2,300 now, the company said.
The announcement coincided with the inaugural shipment of beef from the facility to China, following its approval as one of 38 Brazilian plants sanctioned by the Chinese government on March 12th.
At the event, JBS Global CEO Gilberto Tomazoni hailed the authorizations as a significant advancement for Brazilian agribusiness, citing the country’s allure for investment in the sector.
Before this expansion, Brazil boasted 106 authorised plants for beef exports to China, a figure now bolstered to 144. Mato Grosso do Sul, previously home to three authorised facilities, now hosts nine, marking the state’s largest share of new authorizations nationwide. This surge in approvals significantly elevates the state’s export potential, with beef production units anticipating a substantial increase in shipments to China.
The Campo Grande II unit, acquired by JBS in 2010, secured authorization for beef exports to China alongside its existing export destinations.
