The Fisheries and Livestock Ministry has issued a press statement stating that news claiming Brazil will be supplying beef to Bangladesh at Tk120 per kilogramme is completely false, stating that “the government has not made any decision to import beef from abroad, particularly from Brazil.”
The statement goes on to say, “Meat is a highly perishable animal product, and maintaining its quality and safety requires an effective cold chain infrastructure from processing to the consumer level. Bangladesh currently lacks adequately developed international-standard frozen meat storage and transportation infrastructure. Weaknesses in the cold chain can compromise the quality of meat and pose a threat to public health and food safety.”
In this regard, the statement says, “Through significant investment by local farmers and entrepreneurs, the use of modern technology, and government policy support, Bangladesh has achieved self-sufficiency in meat production.”
“In this context, importing meat from abroad would hinder the development of the livestock sector. At the same time, there is a risk of introducing diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), PPR, Anthrax, BSE, Avian Influenza, Tuberculosis, Brucellosis, as well as pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli into Bangladesh, which could pose serious threats to public and animal health,” it reads.
“The Bangladesh government is committed to the development of the livestock sector, protecting the interests of local farmers, and providing safe and quality meat to the people,” the statement says, adding, “At this moment, the government has not made any decision to import meat from abroad.”