India says its buffalo meat has no contamination issues

The Embassy of India in Jakarta has issued a statement saying reports that Indonesia had suspended the import of frozen boneless buffalo meat were 'false propaganda'.

However, after international media including Reuters last week reported Indonesia's meat importing company BULOG (Indonesian Bureau of Logistics) had stopped imports from India, Australian traders and analysts made inquiries and say BULOG confirmed the decision.

BULOG represents 80 per cent of buffalo imports.

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Still, the Embassy of India says their country's competitors are threatened by the ever-increasing success of Indian buffalo meat.

Australia is key competitor of Indian buffalo meat in Indonesia, both via it's live cattle and frozen beef exports.

India says during the ongoing pandemic, exports of agro products are happening unhindered and India is exporting bovine meat uninterruptedly to more than 70 countries without any issues.

Further, it points out the affordably-priced buffalo meat is contributing towards food security and food price inflation control in importing countries.

These are significant issues in Indonesia.

India registered a 24 per cent increase and about $20 billion in exports of its agriculture and processed products from April 2020 to March 2021, according to the latest Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority data, the Embassy statement said.

India insists it has world-class meat processing infrastructure, certified for quality management, food safety and environmental systems.

The country is consistently among the world's largest beef exporters by volume.

It sends buffalo meat to the likes of Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Philippines and the UAE.

"The buffalo meat is prepared and exported in accordance with World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) guidelines for any risk mitigation. Only boneless buffalo meat is exported from India which is safe and risk free," the Embassy statement said.

The Embassy went on to point out it is now well-known that COVID-19 is a respiratory disease and the primary transmission route is person-to-person contact.

International organizations such as OIE, WHO and FAO have therefore issued guidelines which categorically state that it is highly unlikely that people can contact COVID-19 from food or food packaging.

"According to the guidelines of these International organizations, Indian meat processing establishments are following physical distancing, stringent hygiene and sanitation measures and regular training is given to staff and workers on food safety practices," the Embassy statement said.

"There have also been several interventions by the Government of India to control and eradicate various livestock diseases where all vaccinated animals are ear tagged and a complete traceability is maintained.

"The government has also been implementing several schemes for prevention, control and containment of livestock diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease. India's official FMD control program has received OIE endorsement.

"Hence, all importing countries can safely import Indian-origin frozen boneless buffalo meat. Thus, buffalo meat exports from India are going on smoothly with no hurdles in the supply chain."

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