BRF SA Chief Executive Lorival Luz expects the Brazilian food company to obtain soon up to three more permits for its slaughterhouses to export chicken and pork to China, Reuters reports.

The news agency quotes Mr Luz as saying in an interview that  Chinese inspectors are visiting several Brazilian meat plants this week and next to check whether they are worthy of permits.

Mr Luz said a Chinese export permit for the BRF plant in Lucas do Rio Verde might increase BRF sales of chicken and pork to China by 30 percent.

The report gives no value for sales.

Mr Luz said the outbreak in China of African swine fever had increased Chinese demand for Brazilian pork and thus pushed up the prices BRF charged, and that the amount of pork his company sold China would grow once it had more Chinese export permits.

BRF made a cumulative loss of 5.9 billion reais (US$1.58 billion) in its last three financial years, and more business with China may improve its fortunes, Reuters says.