Brazilians hope EU to ease ban

BRAZILIAN authorities are hoping that the EU will partially lift a ban on their beef exports, after epidemiologists from Europe completed a 10-day inspection of the South American country’s beef industry last weekend.

Last October, the EU banned imports from the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Parana and Sao Paulo, due to the discovery of foot-and-mouth disease in Mato Grosso do Sul.

Since then, 30 farms in the state have had cattle infected with the disease, and Parana had a case of the disease on one farm.

No cases were found in the neighbouring state of Sao Paulo, which is estimated to supply 70% of all Brazilian beef exports, and Brazilian authorities are hopeful the EU will now lift their ban on beef from Sao Paulo.

No new outbreaks of foot and mouth have been reported in Brazil since December 19. Despite its foot and mouth difficulties, and import bans in 56 countries, the country set new records for beef exports in January.

Up to 24% of Brazil’s beef exports go to the EU, and the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association recently revealed that Belgium is its biggest customer in the EU.