Two more countries, Indonesia and Switzerland, informed Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Development (Mapa) that they are imposing commercial restrictions on Brazil, due to the outbreak of hoof and mouth disease. This brings to 43 the number of countries that have imposed embargoes on Brazilian products.
Besides meat imports, Indonesia suspended processed animal products and derivatives (without specification of the species), as well as purchases of soy meal, raw materials, equipment, machinery, and medications.
The embargo covers imports from anywhere in the country. Brazil intends to raise the question of the Indonesian decision to suspend imports of products that have no relationship with hoof and mouth disease before the World Trade Organization (WTO), according to information from the Department of Animal and Plant Health Affairs of the Secretariat of International Relations.
The Swiss embargo applies to the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, and São Paulo. Switzerland suspended imports of live artiodactyls (an order of ungulates that possesses over 200 species, including cattle, goats, camels, hippopotamuses, and pigs) and their products (meat and meat-based products, natural viscera, and some animal by-products).
Since the appearance of the initial focus of hoof and mouth disease in the municipality of Eldorado, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, South Africa, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Singapore, Cuba, Egypt, Israel, Mozambique, Namibia, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Russia, Ukrania, the European Union (25 countries), and Uruguay have announced restrictions on Brazilian products.
On Friday, October 21, suspected focuses of the disease were also detected in the state of Paraná. The laboratory results of tests on the animals suspected of being infected in the state will be today, according to information from the Mapa.
Agência Brasil
