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)