Brasília, 7/16/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - With the appearance of new cases of foot and mouth disease in cattle in Paraguay, Brazil has temporarily suspended beef imports from that country. The ministers of agriculture of Brazil and Paraguay, Roberto Rodrigues and Dario Baungarten, respectively, have scheduled a meeting today to discuss the problem.

This is the second time in two years that Brazil suspends beef imports from Paraguay due to foot and mouth disease. In 2002 the disease was in the department (municipality) of Canindeyú, on the border with the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. This year the disease has broken out in the department of Boqueron, 450 kilometers from the border with Mato Grosso do Sul. As in 2002, the Ministry of Agriculture has announced increased animal sanitary vigilance along the border. (AB)