In a statement, the Brazilian government said that the Chinese ban was only a temporary measure put in place in the wake of the meat scandal revelations.

“It [the Chinese government] took only preventive measures to ensure that we had the opportunity to provide all necessary explanations,” Brazil’s Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi said in the statement.

The Brazilian government have confirmed that Federal Police investigations have indicated the existence of a “bribe payment scheme” involving agribusiness entrepreneurs and government inspectors.

The bribes were made for health certificates to be issued by inspectors for meat products that were unsuitable for consumption.

“Lifting this suspension was the result of a giant effort by Brazil to explain that the investigation targeted the conduct of individuals and not the quality of the meat,” Maggi told Reuters news agency.

Chile and Egypt

The Brazilian government have also announced that Chile and Egypt have lifted bans on meat imports from Brazil.

However, Chile have maintained suspension on imports from the 21 processors involved in the Operation Weak Flesh investigation.

EU measures

The European Commission announced last week that imports of meat into the EU from the companies involved in the investigation were being suspended.

It is understood that Health and Food Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis is to visit Brazil this week to meet with government officials and industry representatives.

Brazil meat scandal: full coverage

Countries lift bans on Brazilian meat imports

China, Chile and Egypt have lifted bans on imports of meat from Brazil that were imposed after it emerged that Brazilian companies had been exporting unsafe meat.