Rodrigues announces end of Argentinean embargo on Brazilian meat

25/06/2004 - 22h15

São Paulo, June 28, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply, Roberto Rodrigues, announced that the trade impasse with Argentina, involving meat exports, has been resolved and that the Argentinean government pledged to reopen its border to Brazilian beef on Tuesday (29) or Wednesday (30).

Brazil has already sent the Argentinean Ministry of Agriculture documents attesting the excellent quality of Brazilian meat and explaining that the incidence of hoof and mouth disease affected only a few head of cattle in the interior of the state of Pará, in the northern part of the country.

In a speech, Friday (25), at the close of the 3rd Brazilian Agribusiness Congress, the Minister also announced the dispatch of a technical mission to Russia to negotiate an end to the Russian embargo on Brazilian meat imports. The Brazilian technical personnel departed on Saturday (26).

Russia's suspension of chicken, pork, and beef imports from Brazil will certainly be detrimental to Brazilian exporters, but there are still no estimates of the amount of the losses. This was the judgment made by Minister Rodrigues, who added that there are ships stalled in Santa Catarina waiting for the shipments to be authorized, and this is causing real losses to exporters.

Reporter: Marli Moreira
Translator: David Silberstein