OIE chief calls for lifting of Brazilian beef bans
The head of the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) called on countries that are banning Brazilian beef imports, following a case of mad cow disease last month, to lift restrictions as soon as possible, saying they were not justified.
Brazil's foreign trade secretary said last week that five countries had banned beef imports from Brazil and that the world's top beef exporter was considering retaliation at the World Trade Organization (WTO) if they did not lift their bans. China, Japan, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Jordan informed Brazil that they had imposed import bans after the OIE said a cow that died in 2010 had bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease. (Reuters)
