The Chinese customs service says it is allowing imports of beef from Brazil to resume, lifting an embargo in force since September 4 after two cases of atypical mad cow disease were detected there, Reuters reports.

China is permitting imports from Brazil of boneless beef from cattle under 30 months old, the news agency says, citing a document posted on the General Administration of Customs website on Wednesday.

The Brazilian government issued a written statement welcoming the resumption which, it says, reflects the positive dialogue between its foreign and agriculture ministries and the Chinese government.

Minerva SA of Brazil announced in writing that it had immediately resumed slaughtering cattle to produce beef for the Chinese market.

The company has seven facilities in South America that send beef to China, including three in Brazil, and together the facilities can slaughter about 10,000 head of cattle each day, Minerva told the stock market.