H.K. bans U.S. beef imports amid mad cow disease scare

Asian Economic News, Dec 29, 2003

HONG KONG, Dec. 24 Kyodo

Hong Kong imposed Wednesday a temporary ban on imports of beef from the United States following the discovery of the first case of mad cow disease there.

Hong Kong's move came after Asian countries including Japan, South Korea and Singapore made similar decisions.

''The (Hong Kong government) has informed the U.S. government via its local consulate of our decision to temporarily suspend imports of U.S. beef and beef products into Hong Kong as a precautionary measure,'' said a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.

''Meanwhile, there is no evidence to suggest that U.S. beef still on sale in the local market is unsafe,'' the spokesman said.

He noted that beef already in Hong Kong has been certified by U.S. authorities to have originated from cattle free of mad cow disease and is thus fit for human consumption.

The department will keep in close contact with U.S. authorities and the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong to monitor the situation, he added.

In 2002, Hong Kong imported 53,000 tons of chilled and frozen beef from overseas and mainland China, with the U.S. being the leading source at 17,000 tons.

For the first nine months this year, the U.S. exported 9,800 tons of beef to Hong Kong.