September 27, 2007

Indonesia bans Canadian beef

The Indonesian government has banned the importation of Canadian beef over protests from the Ulema Council who questioned the halal certification, local press said Thursday (September 27).

The agriculture minister on August 13 issued a ruling that suspended the importation, reported leading economic daily Bisnis Indonesia.

The newspaper quoted Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono saying the import of "Canadian beef meat is suspended, except for the products already in shipment before the ruling was issued".

Beef imports coming from a country unofficially declared as free from the mad cow disease should pass a verification test from a ministry's team, said Apriantono.

The slaughterhouses from the country of origin must get halal certification -- or meat prepared under Islamic prescription -- that is recognised by the Indonesian Ulema Council, the minister said.