THE HAGUE, 19/08/06 - Agriculture Minister Cees Veerman has announced a nationwide export ban for all cattle, goats and sheep and their living produce, such as embryos. Agricultural organisation LTO considers this measure too extreme and is insisting on its withdrawal. The ministry, however, intends to keep the sanction in place for months.

The ministry introduced the export ban following the discovery of Bluetongue in sheep in the province of Limburg on Thursday. The disease has never before been detected in the Netherlands. Bluetongue is potentially deadly for sheep but not for cattle. It is not transmittable between animals but is spread by a small mosquito normally only found south of the Alps.

Veerman Friday stated that the ministry is expecting to keep the ban in place for several months. "This will certainly have consequences for the sector", LTO spokesperson Jacques Luiten protested. He wishes to know why the ministry is taking such drastic measures. LTO feels the export ban for cattle, sheep and goats should in any case be restricted to only the south of the Netherlands as soon as possible.

It has been established that sheep have been contaminated with the virus at one farm in Kerkrade. Contamination is also suspected at 13 other sheep farms. All the farms are situated in Limburg, the southern province that is wedged between Germany and Belgium.

LTO wishes to know which measures have been taken by Germany and Belgium to prevent the further spread of the disease. Veerman is puzzled as to how the virus, normally found in countries around the Mediterranean, has managed to break out in the Netherlands.

A protection area with a radius of 100 kilometres has been established around Kerkrade. Sheep farmers in the area have been advised to stall ruminants and use insecticides. Ruminants are not allowed out of this area. Delivery and transport of ruminants is also forbidden within a twenty-kilometre radius of companies and use of insecticides is mandatory.