June 2, 2006

Chile likely to largely end ban on Brazilian beef

Chile is likely to soon largely lift its ban on Brazilian beef, Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley said Wednesday (May 31).

Chile imposed the ban due to the foot-and-mouth disease in Mato Grosso do Sul and Parana states.

Brazil retaliated this week with a ban on imports of Chilean fruits.

However the ban would still be in place for the two states where the disease broke out, Foxley said after a bilateral meeting with Brazilian officials on Tuesday (May 30).

Brazil had formerly complained that the Chilean ban was too strict, compared with the European Union, which had relaxed the ban for a few months.

Up until recently, Chile accounted for 8 percent of Brazil's beef export revenue.

Up to 1.5 million tonnes of Brazilian beef were exported to Chile before the ban.