December 4, 2006

Brazil beef retaliates with Chile salmon

The Brazilian Beef Exporters Association or Abiec has been investigating possible chemical and other residues on Chile salmon imports and wants its Agriculture Ministry to retaliate in exchange for Chile's suspension of some of its bans on Brazilian beef.

The association wants the government to play it hard with Chile which continues to ban Brazilian beef from states that do not have foot-and-mouth disease and have not had it for years, said Andrea Verissimo, marketing manager at Abiec. An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease occurred in Mato Grosso do Sul and Parana states in October 2005.

Abiec successfully convinced government trade negotiators earlier this year to orchestrate a fruit-for-beef deal. In the second half of 2006, Brazil suspended imports of a number of Chilean fruits, including kiwi and grapes because of an insect disease.

Verissimo said Abiec has not yet notified Brazil's Agriculture Ministry about a possible salmon trade ban as it still did not have the laboratory results. Chile used to be one of Brazils top 10 beef export markets.

Chile has banned Brazilian beef for more than a year. In late 2006, it agreed to open its doors to beef exports from Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul states. Abiec wants Chile to allow beef imports from Mato Grosso and Goias beef.

Salmon is among the top six items Brazil imports from Chile.

Brazil's imported over 258,000 tonnes of salmon from January and October, compared to 203,000 tonnes over the same period last year. The export comprised of 3,300 tonnes of fresh, boneless beef compared to over 57,900 tonnes over the January to October 2005 period, according to Brazils Foreign Trade Ministry.