No Ban on Beef Import

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, has assured that Jamaica will not be imposing a ban on imported beef.

“We have done our tests; we have carried out surveys extensively and we are satisfied that our surveys carry the level of integrity that would cause us to continue to import corned beef,” he said.

Mr. Samuda was speaking at a press conference, held at his New Kingston offices on June 23.

The Minister was seeking to address concerns about the recent ban by the United States (US) on the importation of fresh beef from Brazil due to safety concerns.

He pointed out that Jamaica does not import fresh beef from Brazil, so a similar ban does not have to be imposed.

“So, we are not affected. This is a matter affecting fresh beef. I just want to put everybody’s mind at rest. I know that there are many people who are distributors that would be concerned. It is not a matter to detain them at this time,” he said.

On Thursday (June 22), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) ceased imports of fresh beef from Brazil, after a high percentage of shipments failed to pass safety checks.