MEXICO CITY, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Mexican authorities will

kick off audits of 14 Brazilian meatpacking plants next month to

clear them to send exports to Mexico, Luis Rua, secretary of

trade at Brazil's agriculture ministry, told Reuters.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

In August, Mexico overtook the U.S. as the No. 2 buyer of

Brazil's beef as U.S. tariffs on Brazilian goods took effect.

Brazil is the world's top beef exporter.

KEY QUOTE

"There will be an audit in September, Mexico's sanitary

agency will go to Brazil and hopefully soon these 14

(meatpacking plants) will be approved," Rua told Reuters on the

sidelines of an event in Mexico City.

ADDITIONAL CONTEXT

The news was first reported by Brazilian outlet Estadao.

According to the report, the plants belong to meatpacking majors

such as Marfrig, JBS and BRF.

Analysts said that the U.S. tariffs are set to reshape the

beef trade, speculating that beef could be sent through Mexico

or other countries before ending up in the U.S.

Mexico Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard told Reuters that "it

was not the plan" for the increased beef shipments from Brazil

to make their way to the U.S.

BY THE NUMBERS

The plants' approval would be in addition to the 35 plants

already cleared to export to Mexico, Rua explained.

THE RESPONSE

Mexico's agriculture ministry, which operates the sanitary

agency, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.