To Ban Import of Japanese Livestock

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) announced yesterday a temporary ban on the import of Japanese livestock and meat-based provender as a suspected case of mad cow disease was found in Japan.

An MFA official said that ``the government virtually put a halt on all Japanese livestock imports by not giving them import inspection. If Japan`s investigation into the suspected mad-cow infection is finalized, the government will decided whether to strengthen or ease the countermeasure.``

The MFA recommended the livestock farms not to feed the ruminants the meat-based provender, especially made with cow`s brain, which is known as a carrier of mad cow disease. The MFA also instructed the mixed-feed manufacturers not to use the processed beef products as the provender for the ruminants.

Along with this, the MFA added that if anybody feeds the ruminants the meat-based provender, he or she will be punished either to be sentenced for maximum 3 years or to pay the maximum 15 million won of fine according to the provender management law, which was revised in March to prevent the mad-cow disease.

Meanwhile, according to the MFA, as of the end of August, imported Japanese ruminant livestock products were 93 different kinds amounting to 395,416 kg, including 213,893 kg of Para podium, 128,9589 kg of cow bones and beef jerked meat, 2,369 kg of beef, which was 0.19 percent of the total amount of imported ruminant livestock products. However, the MFA explained that no products were imported from the Japanese prefecture of Chiba where the mad-cow disease test showed positive.

Prior to this, Japan`s agriculture ministry announced on Monday that the result of the mad-cow disease test of a five-year old cow in a farm in the prefecture of Chiba showed positive.

Kim Sang-Chul sckim007@donga.com