Ottawa | Reuters — Markets that have closed their borders to Canadian beef after a case of mad cow disease was discovered account for just three per cent of Canadian trade, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Tuesday.
South Korea, Taiwan, Peru and Belarus have imposed trade restrictions on Canadian beef and beef products after Canada confirmed a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) on Feb. 11. Indonesia banned non-edible byproducts from Canada.
“While they have imposed temporary restrictions, these markets, while important, represent … some three per cent of our overall trade,” Ritz told legislators in the House of Commons.
— Reporting for Reuters by David Ljunggren.
