Canada says only 3 percent of its beef trade hurt by ban

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Markets that have closed their borders to Canadian beef after a case of mad cow disease was discovered account for just 3 percent of Canadian trade, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said on 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 3 percent of our overall trade,” Ritz told legislators in the House of Commons.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Peter Galloway)

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