Paraná, Second State in Brazil Hit by Foot and Mouth Disease
Written by Geysa Albuquerque
Wednesday, 07 December 2005
The Executive Secretary of the Brazilian Association of Meat Export Industry (ABIEC), Antonio Jorge Camardelli, confirmed today the occurrence of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the southern state of Paraná.
Camardelli confirmation follows the declaration of the Secretary of Agricultural Protection in the Ministry of Agriculture, Gabriel Maciel of those occurences.
Camardelli said that, from now on, measures must be adopted according to the international zoo-sanitary code.
"Procedures must aim at short and medium term solutions, such as animals identification and sacrifices, among others."
Just last month, Força Sindical, the second largest union group in Brazil, during a meeting with the Brazilian Minister of Labor, Luiz Marinho, expressed concern with the collective vacations and employment terminations that have occurred after the cases of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, in October, that have caused some countries to ban importation of Brazilian meat.
Union leaders want to negotiate a solution for the crisis with governors, the federal government and the legislative power. Among proposed alternatives, there is the reduction of meat prices to stimulate consumption, as well as the reduction of taxes for the sector.
The meat sector employs approximately a million workers direct or indirectly. Silva added that the meat from Mato Grosso do Sul has been banned not only abroad by some 50 countries, but also by other Brazilian states such as São Paulo and Paraná.
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