LAHORE: Lahore chamber of Commerce & Industry President Ijaz A Mumtaz has urged the government to immediately withdraw increase in quarantine rates.
Mumtaz said that despite the fact that Indian quarantine is free of charges, the authorities in Pakistan had made and exorbitant increase in quarantine charges. He said that livestock exports that were started in 2013 after a gap of nine years would suffer a deadly blow because of the SRO issued on March 31, 2015.
“There is a need to exploit potential of our livestock sector and use it as engine for economic growth and food security for the country leading to rural population empowerment and socioeconomic development/uplift,” he said, adding that as far as livestock exports are concerned, a total of 8,995 buffaloes/cattle and 4,880 sheep/goats were exported for meat purpose during July 2013 to September 30, 2013.
The LCCI president said that apart from animal exports, 58,730 metric tonnes of meat and meat preparations were exported during 2013-14 which fetched $ 177.5 million. This meat was exported from 29 private sector slaughterhouses registered with the Animal Quarantine Department. During same period, export facilitation was also provided for livestock by- products like animal casing, bones, horns and hooves, gelatine that fetched $ 50.0 million.
