Ban slapped on processed U.S. beef
Fitri Wulandari and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government has banned the import of processed beef products from the United States indefinitely and instructed importers to withdraw the commodity from market shelves immediately to prevent mad cow disease from spreading to local cattle here.
The Food and Drug Control Agency (BPOM) also warned that it would not hesitate to take stern legal actions against importers or traders, including supermarkets or other retail stores, if they fail to comply with the ruling.
"We have asked the customs and excise office to prevent the import of processed beef products from the U.S. indefinitely, starting today," BPOM chief Sampurno said here on Saturday.
"We will take legal measures against those who defy the order," he said, adding that he was confident that importers, distributors and retail stores would abide by the ban.
Indonesia imports US$9 million of fresh U.S. beef annually and processed beef products worth $62 million annually. Processed beef products include canned beef and other preserved foods and drinks such as sausage, milk and cheese.
Indonesia also imports beef and processed beef products from Australia and New Zealand.
The decision to ban the import of processed beef products was taken following the finding of a mad cow case in the United States two weeks ago. The government banned the import of fresh beef from the U.S. on Thursday.
According to Sampurno, the last direct import of U.S. processed beef products -- some 440 kilograms of beef powder -- was on Sept. 23, 2003. Sampurno declined to reveal the importer's name, saying only that beef powder was one of the main ingredients of some sausage and burger patties.
Sampurno said BPOM would conduct field observations on U.S. beef and processed beef products starting next week.
"It is possible that U.S. beef and processed beef products were imported through a third country. Consumers can easily work out the country of origin from the product label," he said.
Sampurno said BPOM has been working closely with the agriculture ministry and local farming offices to monitor the entry of U.S. beef and processed beef products into the market.
A British laboratory said on Thursday that a Holstein cow in the U.S. state of Washington was found to have bovine spongiform encephalophaty (BSE), which eats away brain tissue, causing madness and death in cows. However, BSE has not been shown to affect humans directly.
Thomas Darmawan, chairman of Indonesian Association of Food and Beverages Producers (GAPMMI), urged the government to be careful in banning the import of U.S. beef and beef products.
"It will not only affect retailers and distributors but also other industries that use cow products such as cow skin, milk and other products that we have to import," Thomas told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
Melanie Dharmosetio, senior marketing manager of supermarket- chain PT Lion Super Indo, hailed the ban but urged the government to provide adequate information about BSE for the public.
"If we have clear information, we will be able to make a decision fast. But we will abide by the government order," she said.
Lion Super Indo operates the Super Indo supermarket, which has 27 outlets in Jakarta and eight others in Bandung, Yogyakarta and Palembang.