USMEF South American Expo (Click to download PDF form) | BrazilBrazil Complai...
USMEF South American Expo (Click to download PDF form)
BrazilBrazil Complains About Russian Import Ban On Pork
The Brazilian Agricultural Ministry is irate with Russia over a pork import ban based on a small presence of Aujesky disease in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, according to Reuters.
Russia suspended pork imports from Santa Catarina on December 24 due to concerns about Aujesky disease, which causes fever, respiratory problems and weight loss in infected pigs. Pork exports from Santa Catarina account for 70 percent of Brazil's total pork shipments to Russia, reports Reuters.
Brazilian Agricultural Ministry officials accused Russia of sanitary protectionism over the pork import ban. Joao Cavallero, director of animal safety at the Brazilian Agriculture Ministry, said that pigs on 74 farms in the state would be culled by January 15 after they showed signs of Aujesky disease, but that the disease’s limited presence in Santa Catarina falls within OIE (World Animal Health Organization) and internationally-recognized levels as temporarily Aujesky-free.
"This measure is sanitary protectionism -- it's retaliatory with no scientific basis," commented Cavallero. "The state is considered temporarily Aujesky-free by the OIE. Moreover, the disease can not be transmitted by the shipping of pork meat. This is most likely in retaliation to an anti-dumping process that the government initiated against Russian fertilizer shipments."
Cavallero said Brazilian Agriculture Minister Marcus Vinicius Pratini de Moraes was in contact with Russia's Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister, Alexei Gordeyev, in an effort to resolve the trade dispute. Brazilian industry and state government officials estimate a pork import ban by Russia will cost Santa Catarina $30 million to $50 million a month.