Photo: AP. Meat processing plants are among the greatest US coronavirus hotspots. The $4.7 billion deal is the biggest Chinese acquisition of a U.S. company to date. Reuters 104d: Brazil's JBS to supply China with up to $717 mln per year in deal with WH Group.

Employees work on production lines at a pork processing plant owned by WH Group in central Henan province in China. China's WH Group sees limited impact on pork production from coronavirus. “This agreement reflects the maturity and evolution of our trade relations with China,” said Renato Costa, president of Friboi. More than 4,900 workers tested positive and 20 died from 115 plants across 19 states in March and April, according to a Bloomberg report. Leadership. WH Group recorded sales of more than $24.1 billion in 2019, according to its website. Products of Smithfield, acquired by WH Group, the largest pork company in the world, are displayed at a news conference on the company's annual results in Hong Kong, China March 29, 2016. WH Group Limited specializes in the production, preparation, processing and marketing of pigmeat. JUDY WOODRUFF: One year ago this month, a Chinese company bought America's largest pork producer, Smithfield Foods. Net sales break down by activity as follows: - sales of minced meat products and pre-packaged meat products (53.7%); Wan Long, nicknamed China's "number one butcher" because of the large number of pigs the company slaughters, is the chairman and chief executive officer of WH Group. More. WH Group is the parent of Smithfield Foods Inc. JBS's first shipments to China under this agreement will start in the first quarter of this year. Reuters 161d: Kenneth M. Sullivan, the president and chief executive officer of Smithfield Foods, became an executive director of WH Group in …