The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa), Tereza Cristina, declared that she hopes that China will soon evaluate the documentation sent by Brazil regarding meat exports. According to her, the fact that they detected the case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), known as Mad Cow Disease, in Mato Grosso, shows the efficiency of the Brazilian inspection service. “This is a common thing and shows that the Brazilian inspection service is working. Last year, more than 20 countries had an occurrence like this, atypical, it is not contagious, there is no danger to anyone, it is a normal thing”, he said.
Last Monday, Mapa temporarily suspended the issuance of health certificates for China until the Chinese authority completes the evaluation of the information already transmitted. In this case, the OIE closed the process concluding that there is no health risk and that exports can continue the normal flow to other countries.
“Anyway, it is an absolutely normal thing, we are waiting for China in the next few days to ask us to lift the suspension. It was a suspension made by Brazil”, he highlighted.
What the sector thinks
The Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries (Abiec) issued an official note in which it “clarifies that it is following and trusts the entire process conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), through the National Encephalopathy Prevention and Surveillance Program Bovine Spongiform (PNEEB). Abiec also clarifies that the case does not represent a risk to the human or animal food chain. The entity reaffirms that it trusts Brazilian health controls and the identification of the case demonstrates the safety and efficiency of these systems”, he concluded.
The Brazilian Association of Refrigerators (Abrafrigo) believes that the case should impact the authorization of new slaughterhouses. The entity's president, Péricles Salazar, said that the Chinese were already thinking about suspending imports of Brazilian beef because of the disease. “China, based on the information that Brazil sent, should lift the embargo soon”, he believes.
Economist Roberto Luís Troster says that “the blockade is temporary and protocol. If this is the case, it is reasonable for there to be a drop in exports and a temporary decrease in the price of meat, while the suspension lasts. If the ban is extended, the effect will take longer and if other countries take the same action, even longer. What is reasonable and expected is a small impact in the short term”, he adds.
Remember the case
Last Friday (31), the Department of Defense confirmed the occurrence, in Mato Grosso, of an atypical case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). The disease was found in a 17-year-old beef cow. All BSE-specific risk material was removed from the animal during the emergency slaughter and incinerated in the slaughterhouse itself. Other products derived from the animal were identified, located and seized preventively, with no product entering the human or ruminant food chain. There is, therefore, no risk to the population. After confirmation, Brazil officially notified the OIE and importing countries, as required by international standards.
