Pakistan: Commerce minister imposes ban on export of meat, live stocks

South Asian News Agency (SANA) ? July 29, 2011 ?
Commerce minister imposes ban on export of meat, live stocks

ISLAMABAD (SANA): The Minister of Commerce has imposed ban on export of meat and live animals for bridging the demand-supply gap and bring down prices of meat and animal.

The price hiked of mutton from Rs. 271/- to Rs. 406/- and beef from Rs. 154/- per kg to Rs. 241/- per kg during three years, respectively. While the prices of live stocks also surged during that period.

Pakistan has exported 153,543 animals in the last fiscal year, thus increasing meat export by 15 percent exported animals included 48,680 cattle, 50,000 buffalos, 54,716 goats and 147 camels to Arab, Central Asian states including Afghanistan.

The Commerce Ministry issued SRO on Thursday for imposing ban on export of meat and livestock.

According to a statement issued by the Commerce Ministry, Makhdoom Amin Fahim has taken a serious notice of the price hike in meat and live animals and banned for three months on export of meat and livestock, keeping in view the Holy month of Ramadan and Eid-ul-Azha.

“There are several other factors contributing to it, which include death of 1.5 million animals due to devastating flood of 2010 and animal smuggling to various neighboring countries” the minister said.

He said that the ban will be helpful for bridging the demand-supply gap and bring meat and animal prices down. He also stressed on controlling the smuggling of meat and animals as well.

Fahim further stated that a number of mega projects have also been initiated in the country to increase the production of livestock under the Strategy of Public-Private Partnership, National Economic Growth, Poverty Alleviation, Food Security, Improve Livestock Service Delivery, Expand opportunities for Farmer Livelihood, and Enhance Foreign Exchange Earnings.

He stated that the government is in the process of establishing Halal Food Certification System in Pakistan, which will allow it earn $600 million in foreign exchange.

Earlier, the government had decided that no permit was required from the ministry of livestock and dairy development for commercial export of live animals for meat purposes. Due to the decision, gap between demand and supply was gone up and prices were shooting up very quickly.