The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is closing its borders to imported beef and cattle from Japan due to three confirmed cases of mad cow disease in the country since September, Agriculture Minister Said Mohammad Raqabani told the official WAM news agency.
The UAE imports approximately 30,000 tons of meat a year. Early in 2001, the country banned beef imports from the European Union (EU), Eastern European and Scandinavian countries also due to the spread of the mad cow disease.
Similarly, in January 2001, the UAE Municipalities and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries suspended the import of cattle, including cows and buffaloes from Pakistan for fear of the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, reported Khaleej Times. — (menareport.com)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
