RI may suspend U.S. meat imports if disease is confirmed

RI may suspend U.S. meat imports if disease is confirmed

Indonesia may suspend imports of meat products from the U.S., the world's second-biggest beef exporter, if a case of mad cow disease in Washington state is confirmed.

Indonesia's government is waiting for confirmation of the case before considering a ban on U.S. meat and meat products, Bachtiar Moerad, a director in the veterinary division of the ministry of agriculture, told reporters in Jakarta.

"The possibility is there, and it can also extend to banning other agricultural products," Bachtiar said. Indonesia will consider suspending imports of all U.S. meat products, not just beef, if the case of mad cow disease is confirmed, he said.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said a sample from the cow that tested positive for mad cow disease is being sent to the U.K. for testing. If confirmed, it would be the first case of the disease in the US$175 billion U.S. beef industry.

Indonesia doesn't import a significant amount of meat from the U.S., said Budiarto Soebijanto, chairman of the Indonesian association of animal feed producers, without providing figures. About 90 percent of Indonesia's meat imports come from New Zealand and Australia, the world's biggest beef exporter.

Indonesia earlier this year banned imports of all animal products from Canada after a case of mad cow disease was confirmed there. -- Bloomberg