On Indian meat

I write in reference to a news item published in The Jakarta Post on May 25, regarding the importation of meat from some countries, including India.

While this Embassy has no information on the provenance of the smuggled meat, and supports the Indonesian government's action to check violations of local regulations, it is essential that readers are informed of the facts about Indian meat. * India is not affected by mad-cow disease. * India exports buffalo meat to over 50 countries around the globe. * In none of the importing countries in the last 33 years has Indian meat caused foot and mouth disease (FMD). * Even island states, such as Mauritius that are completely free of FMD, have safely imported Indian meat since 1983. * Malaysia (Sabah province) and the Philippines, both neighbors of Indonesia, are major importers of Indian meat. * India only exports deboned, deglanded and frozen buffalo meat, which is entirely risk-free, and reasonably priced. * Indian exports are made under the guidelines established by International Animal Health Care Code of the Office of International Epizootics (OIE).

The Embassy has, in the past, taken up this issue with the Indonesian authorities, urging them to remove the ban on Indian meat so that Indonesian people have easy access to high-quality and reasonably priced meat. The recent incidence of smuggling only highlights the fact that there remains a lucrative price differential, which is being exploited by unscrupulous traders.

AMAR SINHA Minister Indian Embassy Jakarta