Bid to reopen Brazil trade

THE detailed workings of the English livestock industry will be unveiled to top officials of Brazil's Agriculture Ministry next week (Jan 19 - 22) when they get a guided tour organised by the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX).

The tour has been put together as part of a plan to reopen trade with Brazil - especially in British cattle and sheep gentics - which was stopped in the wake of the 1996 BSE crisis.

The officials - Livestock Defence Secretary Macao Tadano and his deputy Dr Eduado Saldanha Vargas - will visit cattle breeding centres, Defra headquarters and the National Scrapie Plan Administration Centre. They will also attend the British Cattle Breeders Conference.

Henry Lewis, MLC Livestock Export Manager who has managed the programme for EBLEX and Defra, said: "Brazil is one of the biggest potential markets in the world for genetics but at present we cannot export there.

"We have been trying to get Brazilian officials to visit us for some time and now we have finally succeeded we want to make sure they see as much as possible and go away with a very positive view of our industry. This will be to our mutual benefit."