Indonesia lifts ban on New Zealand beef exports, says minister
By DPA
Jul 14, 2008, 6:35 GMT
Wellington – Indonesia has lifted a week-old ban on imported
beef from New Zealand, Trade Minister Phil Goff said on Monday
following talks in Wellington with visiting officials from Jakarta.
The ban, reportedly introduced because Indonesia claimed that
package labelling and halal certification did not comply with its
regulations, took effect on July 7.
Goff said he had expressed concern to the visiting trade officials
that the ban was imposed without notice and prior dialogue.
He said he was confident that New Zealand could resolve any
legitimate Indonesian concerns, adding, ‘Ongoing suspension of the
meat trade would have been damaging both to New Zealand exporters and
Indonesian consumers.
‘In a period when food security and food safety are being
considered by policy makers around the world, high quality food
imports are vital.’
Goff said the swift removal of the suspension reflected the two
countries’ constructive trade relationship overall.
He said it was a serious issue for New Zealand because the beef
trade was worth nearly 100 million New Zealand dollars (about 760,000
US dollars) a year and Indonesia was the country’s seventh biggest
export market.
