Letter: Meat from Brazil

Tue, 09/23/2008 10:02 AM | Reader's Forum

Over the past few weeks there has been a spate of newspaper articles warning that beef from specific countries is not good for your health.

We know there are lobbies and strong money connections and commissions involved in this business. Our primary concern is the well-being of the Indonesian population. With threats of higher inflation, food is a basic commodity whose cost must be kept low and stable for the people's benefit.

But some countries and business people do not care for the people's welfare -- they only want to make money. The price of their beef is three times that of Brazilian beef.

But they create lies saying that "foot and mouth disease, even if vaccinated against, is a danger". They hide the fact that Brazil is the largest exporter of beef meat worldwide, including Europe and Middle Eastern countries.

They want to protect their monopoly in order to extract more money from the Indonesian consumers. As a result, Indonesians are suffering from increasing prices as they have no other alternatives.

We do not know what other interests are involved in this business. We only know that the Indonesian government has been studying the process for more than five years.

Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono went to Brazil to sign an agreement to import Brazilian beef. Some companies have already signed agreements to import cheaper Brazilian beef for Indonesia. But the Beef Mafia is conducting a smear campaign through the press saying it is not good for your health.

It is all a lie. They want your money without any competition, at the risk of your health. Ask any country in Europe and the Middle East for the truth. You are being deprived of access to cheaper beef of equal, if not better, quality.