Brasília, February 18, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Beginning next month, shipments of unrefined soybean oil exported to China through the port of Paranaguá (PR) will receive a certificate of quality issued by the Ministry of Agriculture. The Ministry intends for this measure to prevent shipments of oil containing impurities to the Chinese market.

Recently, the Chinese government sent a complaint to the Ministry about the quality of unrefined soybean oil exported by seven companies in Brazil. All together, they exported nine million tons of oil to which caustic soda had been added.

In order to forestall the eventual suspension of exports to China, the Ministry will inspect shipments from the port of Paranaguá. A liter and a half of unrefined soybean oil will be collected for laboratory analysis in every ton of the product. The cost, R$ 1.31 for each analysis, will be paid by the exporters.

According to the Ministry, the forecast is for 1.75 million tons of unrefined soybean oil to be exported from Paranaguá this year. Last year's volume amounted to 1.46 million tons. In 2002, 1.19 million tons of unrefined soybean oil were shipped from Paranaguá. (DAS)