June 6, 2009

Australian beef is facing a possible ban from Indonesia, after the world's most populous Muslim country has suspended New Zealand's beef on certification issues.

A large amount of Australian beef has been held up at a port because Indonesia's Islamic Ulema Council (MUI) said it no longer recognises several of Australia's halal certifying bodies.

MUI also did not recognise any of the halal certification agencies in New Zealand, and New Zealand beef have been held up at Indonesia ports since May 25.

Indonesia, which imports about 70,000 tonnes of beef from Australia and New Zealand each year, requires all beef imports to be certified halal; the meat has been taken from cattle slaughtered in a manner deemed suitable for consumption by Muslims.

But it is up to the MUI to decide which overseas institutions can certify the meat.

Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono said Australian certifying bodies had to meet new MUI standards or Australian beef would face a ban similar to New Zealand's.

If the matter is not resolved, the meat already in Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port will either be re-exported or destroyed, Indonesia's agriculture department said.