BSE-infected countries: MoC moving towards lifting ban on live animals import

Ministry of Commerce (MoC) is making all-out efforts to lift ban on live animals from the countries infected by Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) with a view to appeasing the US, well-informed sources told Business Recorder. The Ministry is resisting the US's repeated requests, but the recent visit of the Commerce Minister to Washington and "frequent" discussions have forced the Ministry to change its earlier stance, the sources added.
The sources said a summary on this issue, submitted by Ministry of Commerce, was placed on the agenda of ECC meeting held on March 11, 2014. It was, however, deferred by ECC for consideration at a future date. According to official documents, the matter was also taken up by the US side during Pak-US Trade Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) bilateral talks. Besides this, senior authorities of other relevant countries as well as the domestic dairy industry have also been approaching this Ministry for an early decision in this regard. In this backdrop, the summary is being re-submitted afresh for consideration and approval.
The background is that BSE, commonly known as the mad cow disease is found predominantly in cattle. It has an incubation period of 3 to 7 years, with symptoms like staggering gait and restlessness etc. The disease is difficult to be detected in live animals, as no test is currently available in Pakistan. The post-slaughter diagnosis is made through a medical examination of brain tissues and other vulnerable body parts like tonsils, spinal cord, ganglia, etc.
In order to protect and safeguard domestic cattle stock as well as export of meat and other bovine products, Ministry of Commerce imposed a ban, in June 2001, on the import of live animals, meat, and bovine meal, tallow, and feed ingredients (of animal origin) horn BSE-infected countries, including the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Holland, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, Portugal, Finland, Canada and the US. The said ban is still continuing under para-5(iii) of the Import Policy Order 2013.
The World Animal Health Organisation - Office of International des Epizooties (OIE) - is a Paris-based inter-governmental organisation with Pakistan one of its member. The OIE has currently classified countries into three categories; as Negligible BSE risk, controlled BSE risk and undetermined BSE risk countries. OIE updates the risk status on a regular basis. The last ranking by OIE was done in May 2013.
Dairy and livestock is one of the most progressive sectors of Pakistan's economy. Currently, Pakistan is importing most of its dairy cattle from Australia. However, other countries like USA, Canada as well as the European Union (EU) have been consistently agitating that Pakistan should review its existing Import Policy pertaining to live animals and animal products, in light of the revised rankings done by OIE. Similarly, Pakistani importers have also been making similar demands with a view to diversifying of sources of import.
The matter has been examined in conjunction with the Ministry of National Food Security & Research. It was felt that allowing the import of live animals from negligible risk countries will benefit Pakistan's livestock industry as Pakistani importers/dairy industry will be able to source their animals from multiple countries and breeds. This would also bring our import regime in congruence with the OIE guidelines.
In this backdrop, a meeting was held in the Ministry of Commerce to discuss the issue of lifting ban on import of live animals from BSE-infected countries. The meeting was attended by representatives of Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) and the provincial governments. After detailed deliberations, the following course of action was agreed upon: (i) ban on import of feeds containing meat, bone meal and greaves etc derived from BSE infected ruminants (ie cattle / goat etc) shall continue and should be strictly followed; (ii) ban on import of live animals from BSE-infected countries shall continue in general, however, imports from countries which have been declared as "negligible risk" by OIE shall be allowed subject to the following conditions; and (iii) "animals from only such herds shall be allowed for import where no incidence of BSE has been reported for the last 11 years and this fact shall be certified by the concerned Veterinary Authority of the exporting country." MNFS&R will make efforts to conduct a BSE risk assessment in Pakistan and apply to OIE for categorisation of Pakistan as a "BSE negligible risk country".