More countries have joined China in banning imports of Brazilian beef following the discovery of two cases of mad cow disease.
The ABC reports that Russia, Indonesia, Egypt, Iran and Saudi Arabia have all joined China in ban either in total, from infected states or certain processing plants.
Cumulatively these countries take 55% of Brazil’s exports.
However, the NZ meat industry has reiterated that because production is at a seasonal low point, exporters are unable to utilise opportunities from the absence of the world’s largest beef exporter.
There is concern among NZ exporters the issue could see Brazilian beef diverted to other markets disrupting NZ trade.
Quoting meat industry analyst Simon Quilty, the ABC reported that the expected resumption in trade between Brazil and China following an investigation into the source of the infection, has been delayed by more countries imposing import bans.
Of those countries refusing to accept Brazilian beef, China is by far and away the largest single market, taking 48%, but Quilty argued a bigger consequence of this expanded ban is the negative attention it draws to the Brazilian beef industry.
Earlier it reported the World Organisation for Animal Health had determined that the investigation into the two cases of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was resolved and no further reports were needed.
Atypical BSE affects older cattle and in these cases involved 10-year-old and 11-year old cows.
