Uruguay plans to build the world's largest barbecue next month, in an attempt to set a new Guinness record in this field, the country's Instituto Nacional deCarnes (INAC) said Tuesday.

Some 1,250 cooks will spit-roast 12 tons of meat on a 1,500-meter barbecue in an event titled, the "World's Largest Barbecue," which will be staged by the Uruguay Rural Association in its capital Montevideo in April.

According to the INAC, the current Guinness Book record-holder is a Mexican who made an 8,000 kg barbecue in 2006.

Uruguay has a high per-capita consumption of meat. And roasted meat is a favorite for Uruguayan people during gatherings with their families or friends.

(Xinhua News Agency March 5, 2008)