October 27, 2006

Israel lifts beef ban on Brazil's Mato Grosso Do Sul

The beef ban imposed by Israel on the Brazilian beef has been lifted this week, said the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association, Abiec, Wednesday, Oct 25.

The Agriculture Ministry in Brasilia however said it had not been notified by the Israeli government as yet. Israel became the first country to lift its ban on Mato Grosso do Sul beef, said Abiec's executive director, Antonio Jorge Camardelli, to Dow Jones Newswires.

Mato Grosso do Sul is Brazil's No. 1 cattle state, located on the Paraguay border. Beef exports to Israel and 55 other nations were banned from the state following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in various herds.

Israel imported about 27,995 tonnes of beef between January and September, up from 18,604 tonnes over the same period last year.