Authorities conduct test on Brazil beef, no plans to halt imports — ministry

AMMAN — Authorities are conducting tests on Brazilian beef sold in the local market following allegations that Brazilian meat exporters have been selling rotten meat with falsified certificates, according to an official.

The Ministry of Agriculture stated there are no plans to halt imports of Brazilian meat, as he noted that food imports, particularly meat, are thoroughly scrutinised before being allowed into the country.

“Jordan is among the toughest countries when it comes to testing and allowing the entry of food imports. Any shipment that doesn’t meet our standards is immediately rejected,” Haddadin told The Jordan Times.

Meanwhile, Foodstuff Traders Association President Khalil Haj Tawfiq said that the Kingdom could not have imported rotten meat from Brazil, indicating that the sanitary concerns also comprise processed meat.

“A total of 90 per cent of Jordan’s imports of meat from Brazil is fresh and the rest is frozen. The possibility of manipulating the safety of fresh meat is unlikely and easily detectable,” Haj Tawfiq told The Jordan Times.

He highlighted that foodstuff imports, especially meat, poultry, and fish, undergo strict testing before entering the country, adding that imported fresh meat is also tested in the slaughterhouses of the Greater Amman Municipality.

“In addition, the Jordan Food and Drug Association is carrying out further tests on Brazilian beef by taking samples from the local market,” Haj Tawfiq highlighted.

Several countries are suspending their imports of meat from Brazil in the wake of allegations that several meatpacking companies had been exporting rotten meat with falsified certificates.

Hong Kong and China have suspended their imports of Brazilian beef, while the European Union demanded a halt to exports for four companies implicated in the scandal. Chile suspended all meat imports, prompting Brazil to threaten retaliatory measures against its Latin American trade partner, according to AFP.

Mexico issued its own ban on poultry imports late Tuesday, saying it wanted Brazil “to show scientific proof and guarantees of the sanitary level, quality and safety” of the produce, AFP reported.

Exports have been stopped from all 21 meat processors under investigation, and at least 30 people have been arrested, according to AFP, which reported that Brazil exports meat to more than 150 countries, with 2016 sales of beef and poultry reaching more than $10 billion.