Supermarkets have reassured consumers this morning that Brazilian beef will soon be off their shelves - following an outbreak of foot and mouth in the Mato Grosso do Sul region.
The EU yesterday banned all imports from the region, which is one of the country's main beef production areas. It is the first outbreak of the disease since 2004.
Sainsbury said it would withdraw the one SKU of Brazilian beef it sells, while Tesco said it would sell through Brazilian product already on shelves but not place new orders. Other major retailers, such as Morrisons, the Co-operative Group and Waitrose, do not sell Brazilian beef.
The decision will be a blow to Brazil’s producers, who tell tomorrow's edition of The Grocer that their annual exports of fresh beef to the UK have jumped from 56,000 tonnes to 95,000 tonnes in the past year, despite heavy tarrifs.
Imports from countries such as Brazil will be high on the agenda of the so-called Beef Summit being hosted by Defra minister Lord Bach later today.
The summit is expected to be attended by the bosses of Britain’s top five food retailers, farmers and processors.
Although he would not be drawn on the agenda for the meeting, Lord Bach said that the meeting would not be a talking shop.
"Everyone wants to see a successful British industry for beef. Everyone will be giving us their ideas but I want to end that meeting with some sort of plan of action for the months ahead," he added.
The EU yesterday banned all imports from the region, which is one of the country's main beef production areas. It is the first outbreak of the disease since 2004.
Sainsbury said it would withdraw the one SKU of Brazilian beef it sells, while Tesco said it would sell through Brazilian product already on shelves but not place new orders. Other major retailers, such as Morrisons, the Co-operative Group and Waitrose, do not sell Brazilian beef.
The decision will be a blow to Brazil’s producers, who tell tomorrow's edition of The Grocer that their annual exports of fresh beef to the UK have jumped from 56,000 tonnes to 95,000 tonnes in the past year, despite heavy tarrifs.
Imports from countries such as Brazil will be high on the agenda of the so-called Beef Summit being hosted by Defra minister Lord Bach later today.
The summit is expected to be attended by the bosses of Britain’s top five food retailers, farmers and processors.
Although he would not be drawn on the agenda for the meeting, Lord Bach said that the meeting would not be a talking shop.
"Everyone wants to see a successful British industry for beef. Everyone will be giving us their ideas but I want to end that meeting with some sort of plan of action for the months ahead," he added.
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