The Brazilian association of beef exporters, Abiec, says the amount of beef Brazil exported to China in the first 11 months of this year was 410,444 tonnes, or 39.5 percent more than in the corresponding period last year, Reuters reports.

The news agency quotes the head of Abiec, Antônio Camardelli, as saying the Chinese authorities may soon permit more Brazilian slaughterhouses to export their output to China, after Chinese officials complete a mission to Brazil that begins on Sunday.

The report says the number of Brazilian slaughterhouses permitted to export their output to China is now 37.

Abiec expects Brazil to export this year nearly 1.83 million tonnes of beef worth almost US$7.45 billion, the most in any year yet, having exported over 1.64 million tonnes last year, and to export next year nearly 2.07 million tonnes of beef worth US$8.57 billion, Reuters says.