The Veterinary and Livestock Division has placed an immediate ban on the importation of meat products from Brazil.
Chief Veterinarian, Dr. Tubal Edwards, explained on Tuesday while the Division acknowledges that rising food costs will cause importers to look for cheaper markets in which to procure goods, Brazilian meat products, which were once known for both quality and value are now off the table.
According to Dr. Edwards, “Due to the constant threat of diseases such as foot and mouth, the Veterinary and Livestock Division in the Ministry of Agriculture cannot allow for the importation of meat and/or meat products (beef, pork, mutton or chevron) from Brazil.”
A study is now being conducted by the Caribbean Agriculture, Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHSA) on the feasibility of importing meat and meat products from the South American nation.
The ban on products from South and Central America is only limited to Brazil however. Other major meat producing countries in the region including Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile and Belize are unaffected by the decision.
For years Brazil has been plagued with accusations of exporting substandard quality meat and meat products.
Late last year, Brazil came under fire for its delayed reporting of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or Mad Cow Disease, in its beef exports.
On September 3, 2021, Brazil announced two cases of atypical BSE that were detected in June of the same year.
A&B imposes ban on Brazilian meat products
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Most countries report similar cases to the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE) immediately – with both the United Kingdom and Germany in 2021 reporting cases to OIE within days of their detection — but Brazil reported its cases more than two months after the fact, breaking trust with the OIE and global trading partners.
This has been a routine occurrence, with Brazil also waiting months or even years to report similar cases in 2019, 2014, and 2012.
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