Official vows for safety of Irish beef

Official vows for safety of Irish beef

JAKARTA (JP): Despite a growing fear of mad cow disease from European beef, Jakarta will continue to import beef from Ireland based on the central government's recommendation.

The imports are necessary to meet increased demand during the Ramadhan fasting month and the Christmas and Idul Fitri holidays.

The city section's chief of community health, Sri Mulyono, said on Thursday the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's directorate general of husbandry stated the beef from Ireland was free from the disease.

He also said the director general and the Indonesia Ulema Council had approved the consumption of the beef.

"The ministry said the meat from Ireland is free from mad cow disease, so the public has nothing to worry about.

"As long as the ministry still recommends the beef from Ireland, then we will continue to import meat from Ireland," Sri Mulyono said.

Over the past few weeks, there have been several cases of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopaty, discovered in Europe.

The European Union has sought a temporary ban on the use of meat and bonemeal in feed for livestock destined for human consumption.

During the fasting month, people in the capital consume some 30 to 35 tons of meat daily, which is about 10 percent higher than the usual level of beef consumption.

To meet demand, the capital usually imports some 720 tons of meat a month from countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

"We primarily import from Australia and New Zealand. The meat can reach the capital within two weeks, while meat from Ireland arrives here a month after the date of order.

"All of the imported beef is in the form of frozen meat," Sri said.(dja)