July 17, 2008

Indonesia working to obtain import permit for Brazilian beef

A report to battle regulations on meat imports from countries affected by the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is under way as Indonesia seeks to import beef from Brazil.

The Directorate General of Animal Husbandry is currently drafting the report after returning from an inspection trip in Brazil, said Tjeppy Sudjana, Director General of Animal Husbandry. Required to obtain country approval for the import, the report will elaborate on the production potential and disease status of Brazilian cattle.

Brazil experienced an outbreak of FMD in cattle populations in 2005 after the country was declared FMD-free in 2001.

The Department of Agriculture is still processing meat imports from Brazil in spite of inappropriate regulations, although Mr. Tjeppy denied the claim.

The Chairperson of the Indonesian Veterinarians Association (PDHI) Wiwik Bagja concurred, saying that Indonesia has yet to import meat from countries infected with the FMD.

Brazil's Ambassador to Indonesia Edmundo Sussumu Fujita has assured that Brazilian cattle products are safe.

Keen to enter the Indonesia market, Brazil has offered at least 2,000 farms that have been serving demand for imports from other countries to the Department of Agriculture as supply sources.