Import ban on Belgian food valid on Monday
JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Industry and Trade said on Friday that the ban on imports of Belgian farm, poultry and food products would take effect on Monday.
Director General of International Trade Djoko Moeljono said the ban was issued on the recommendation of the Ministry of Health.
The import ban also affects farm and dairy products from the Netherlands, France and Germany until they are accompanied by certificates to ensure they are free of dioxin, a carcinogen in humans.
"The ban on Belgian products will be effective until there is international clarification on the matter," he said.
"And for products from France, the Netherlands and Germany, we are waiting for official clarification from their government that their products sold in Indonesia were thoroughly examined by related institutions before being exported here."
Djoko said he hoped the governments of the latter three countries would understand Indonesia's reasons for imposing the ban.
Director General of Domestic Trade Teddy Setiadi said he also ordered all of the ministry's provincial offices to demand that retailers withdraw Belgian and other European food products included on the health ministry's list of banned products.
"Starting Monday, they will inspect all retailers' shelves. Products from the Netherlands, France and Germany made after Jan. 19 will be temporarily withdrawn from the shelves and stored in warehouses until they pass the Ministry of Health's tests," he said.
Teddy said a ban on sales and distribution also applied to all locally produced food products containing Belgian farm or dairy ingredients produced after Jan. 19. He said the restriction would remain in effect until the dioxin scandal was resolved.
He said any penalties imposed on violators would be according to the 1992 Health Law since the implementation of the newly ratified Consumer Protection Law will only take effect in April 2000.
The Ministry of Health issued on Thursday a list of European farm and dairy products which have been banned or temporarily withdrawn from the market.
Twenty-four items, including butter, cheese, corned beef and chicken hot dogs made in the Netherlands, France or Germany after Jan. 19, are listed as products to be recalled.
The products may be sold after they pass tests conducted by the health ministry's Directorate General of Food and Medicine Supervision.
The scare over Belgian food products emerged in late May when Belgium announced that high levels of dioxin in chicken and eggs had spread to the country's pork, beef and dairy products.
Many countries, including the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and Malaysia, imposed blanket-trade bans on European farm and dairy products.
Asked why the Ministry of Industry and Trade responded relatively slowly to the scare, Teddy said that his office needed to wait for the recommendation from the ministry of health's Directorate General of Food and Medicine Supervision.
Teddy urged the public not to panic since the government resorted to appropriate measures to safeguard public health and protect local products from dioxin.
He also said that the Ministry of Health assured that all locally made milk products were tested and certified as dioxin- free since they were made with ingredients from the United States, Australia and New Zealand, but not Europe.(gis)