Brazilian beef banned

Parana livestock and meat imports suspended

The Ministry of Agriculture imposed a temporary ban on the import of meat and cattle from Brazil’s Parana state. The ban decision came in the wake of reports of cattle with mad cow disease.

Mohammad Mabsout, head of the Syndicate of Meat Importers, said: “This ban will not affect us because we do not import cattle or meat from that state.” He said the Brazilian state of Parana only exports dairy cows, not livestock.

According to the decision, the import of all livestock, as well as chilled and frozen meat, will be suspended until further notice. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have already banned beef imports from Brazil.

“Around 80 percent of our beef imports are from Brazil, mainly from Sao Paolo and Mato Grosso,” Mabsout said. Besides Brazil, local imports of meat come from Paraguay, Australia, India, and New Zealand.