JBS president bemoans Mato Grosso situation
The president of Brazilian packer and tanning group JBS, Joesley Batista, has said his company is in no position to resolve a dispute at an abattoir in the state of Mato Grosso.
Around 70 local livestock farmers have begun a blockade of the facility in the town of Alta Floresta over unpaid debts. The debts date back to last year when another packer, Quatro Marcos, ran the site. JBS took over the lease on five abattoirs in the state from Quatro Marcos in July.
In going ahead with an earlier threat to blockade the side, the farmers said JBS was fully aware of the situation when it took over the lease and insisted they would not allow even one head of cattle to go to slaughter until they had their money, collectively more than $4 million.
Speaking to Brazilian media in the days following the start of the blockade, Mr Batista expressed frustration because, he said, he has been trying to get the former Quatro Marcos sites up and running since July. "But I haven't been able to manage it," he continued. "We have had some problems over licences from the state's environmental protection body."
On the subject of the dispute with the livestock farmers, he limited himself to saying: "This debt is not ours."
