April 27, 2012

Indonesia will halt imports of US bone-in beef and variety meats, while allowing boneless muscle cuts after USDA announced a confirmed case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a California cow, according to local officials.

US Meat Export Federation spokesman, Joe Schuele, revealed that while the Indonesian market had been largely a variety meat market for the US, an aggressive Indonesian programme to boost its domestic beef industry had already limited beef imports from the US and other exporters this year. 

Indonesia imported about 18,000 tonnes of US beef in 2011 worth about US$28 million. In the first two months of 2012, Indonesia had only imported 416 tonnes worth just over US$1 million, compared to about 2,640 tonnes worth about US$4 million by this time last year, according to USMEF statistics.

Schuele said it had already become difficult for all exporters to obtain beef import certificates from Indonesia well before the BSE announcement. He noted the topic was discussed during a meeting between the presidents of New Zealand and Indonesia earlier this month.

"For this reason, we don't really see this as the start of any kind of a trend," in terms of other countries following suit relative to BSE, he said.

In fact, several major importers said yesterday they would continue to import US beef.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Osamu Fujimura, said on Wednesday there was no need for Japan to take any steps to further restrict US beef imports and that the new BSE case was unlikely to affect Japan's decision on whether or not to ease current import restrictions, according to the Japan Economic Newswire. 

Japan is currently considering easing its restrictions that only allow imports of beef from cattle aged 20 months or younger from the US to cattle aged 30 months or younger. The BSE-infected cow in California was older than 30 months.