Indonesia has lifted a week-old ban on imported beef from New Zealand, Trade Minister Phil Goff said on Monday following talks in Wellington with visiting officials from Jakarta, reported dpa.
The ban, reportedly introduced because Indonesia claimed that package labelling and halal certification did not comply with its regulations, took effect on July 7.
Goff said he had expressed concern to the visiting trade officials that the ban was imposed without notice and prior dialogue.
He said he was confident that New Zealand could resolve any legitimate Indonesian concerns, adding, "Ongoing suspension of the meat trade would have been damaging both to New Zealand exporters and Indonesian consumers.
"In a period when food security and food safety are being considered by policy makers around the world, high quality food imports are vital."
Goff said the swift removal of the suspension reflected the two countries' constructive trade relationship overall.
He said it was a serious issue for New Zealand because the beef trade was worth nearly 100 million New Zealand dollars (about 760,000 US dollars) a year and Indonesia was the country's seventh biggest export market.