MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

FAM “sanitary emergency” in Argentina

A “sanitary emergency” was declared Friday in Argentina following a foot and mouth disease outbreak in the northeastern province of Corrientes earlier in the week.

Officials from the Animal Health and Food Quality Office, SENASA, also ordered the sacrifice of the 70 Bradford cattle from the farm where the outbreak was detected and declared a ban on all animal movements in the county of San Luis del Palmar where the farm is located.

Furthermore all Argentine exports of "animal produce or sub products that could become a natural vehicle for the FAM virus, originated, produced or elaborated in Corrientes" are forbidden.

Meantime Russia, following on a report from the Paris based OIE, (International Epizooties Organization), joined a long list of countries banning all import of live animals and meats from the province of Corrientes. Russia is Argentina's main fresh beef market.

Argentina is the world's third largest exporter of beef and last December was declared free of FAM with vaccination after having suffered a ravaging outburst of a highly volatile FAM virus in 2001 with over 2.000 outbreaks.

Last December Russia also banned the import of beef and pork from eight Brazilian states where several outbreaks of FAM were reported and confirmed.

Argentina's neighbour Chile is also assessing the consequences of the latest FAM outbreak since this leaves the country with two of its main suppliers, Brazil and Argentina, banned form providing any meat or meat by products.

Last year Chile imported 145.000 tons of beef and local distributors fear the price of meat and substitutes could balloon if no other options are found.

"We're considering opening the market to beef from some Brazilian states that have been free of FAM but remain banned because of the overall prohibition", said Chilean Minister of Agriculture Jaime Campos.

However he cautioned "not to make a storm" of the situation since at this time of the year "there's plenty of ready cattle in Chile plus imports from Paraguay and Uruguay"