The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Super Value’s owner yesterday said the Government’s ban on all Brazilian meat imports was unlikely to have a major impact on Bahamian food stores adding his company only imports corned beef from that nation.

Rupert Roberts told Tribune Business: “We bring in a chicken frank from Brazil, but no beef apart from the corned beef.  We have never had a problem with any products out of Brazil. I think they should investigate the companies named, get their brands and not ban innocent companies.”

He added of the Bahamas’ 60-day ban: “I don’t think that’s really going to affect the country. I think this issue will clear up over time, but the we will abide by the Ministry’s decision.

“That’s not a problem. We will just shift to other parts of the world to get corned beef, places like Uruguay. There are too many competitive countries putting out corned beef.”

On Tuesday, the Government announced it had decided to place an immediate ban on all meat imports from Brazil, in the wake of a health and corruption scandal impacting that nation’s export processing industry.

The move follows reports from the Brazilian authorities that several major meat processors in that country have been “selling rotten beef and poultry”, and bribing inspectors to allow the contaminated product through into the food chain.

The Brazilian authorities have reportedly suspended 33 government officials over the allegations, which claim these practices have been ongoing for years.

Three meat processing plants have been closed, and another 21 are said to be under investigation, with exports from all suspended. More than 30 companies have been accused of unhygienic practices, including JBS, the world’s largest beef exporter, and BRF, the world’s top poultry producer. The companies have denied the allegations.

The Ministry of Agriculture, in announcing the ban, said: “To safeguard public health and food safety in the Bahamas, the Minister for Agriculture and Marine Resources, V. Alfred Gray, has announced a precautionary ban of meat imports from Brazil.

“Until further notice, no permits for the importation of processed meat products from Brazil will be issued. This includes corned beef as well as other beef products and beef by-products.”

The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources said it would monitor the issue “over the next 60 days, and should we be satisfied that imports from Brazil be resumed”, several conditions would attach.

These require that beef must be slaughtered and processed at an approved Government abattoir and processing facility, while a sanitary certificate must accompany all imports from Brazil;

All batch containers will be inspected at a ‘port of entry’ upon arrival to the Bahamas, and an import permit obtained from the necessary government agencies.

A registry of all importers of beef and beef products from Brazil will also be compiled.