September 20, 2007

 

Indonesia to import 12,000 tonnes of Canadian beef

 

 

Indonesia has issued permits to Canada to import more than 12,000 tonnes of Canadian beef products after it lifted a four-year-old import ban on Canadian cattle meat products, Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono on Wednesday (September 19).

 

Indonesia banned Canadian beef imports in May 2003 over mad cow disease in Canadian cattle but lifted the ban after the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) gave Canada "controlled-risk" status for mad cow disease in May.

 

The permits include imports of 8,377 tonnes of beef and 4,075 tonnes innards.

 

Imports of beef products will come from seven Canadian slaughterhouses in Calgary and Alberta, said Turni Rusli Syamsudin, director of veterinary public health at the agriculture ministry.

 

OIE, who regulates guidelines for animal health and meat safety, gave Canada and the United States "controlled risk" status for mad cow disease.

 

Apriantono said the ministry will also send a team to the United States to check on slaughterhouses in the country.

 

But the team is waiting for an announcement from the US government which slaughterhouses can be checked, he said.

 

The Agriculture Ministry has previously said it was set to lift a two-year-old import ban on US beef.

 

Indonesia currently only imports beef, beef products and live cattle from Australia and New Zealand.

 

In 2006, it imported 84,253 tonnes of beef products and live cattle.