RI bans Argentine grains

RI bans Argentine grains

JAKARTA (Reuters): Indonesia said on Tuesday it had temporarily banned imports of corn, soymeal and soybeans from Argentina because of fears of foot and mouth disease.

Director of veterinary health at the Agriculture Ministry, Bachtiar Moerad, told Reuters the ban, which also applies to European imports, had been imposed because there had been a foot- and-mouth outbreak in Argentina.

"Imports of raw material for animal feed or animal feed itself, including those from plants, from countries where there is a (foot-and-mouth) disease outbreak, are not allowed," Moerad said.

"Any imports of those products have to be quarantined. The ban is temporary and we are going to review it by the end of this month."

Although the ban technically applies to Europe, Indonesia does not import corn, soymeal or soybeans from there.

The ban will be lifted if tests prove the products clean.