The Ministries of Commerce and Livestock are still at loggerheads due to controversial live animals export policy, sources told Business Recorder. The Economic Co-ordination Committee (EC) of the Cabinet in its meeting held on December 2, 2008 had decided that export of live animals for meat purpose is allowed, subject to 'No-Objection Certificate' (NOC) from the Ministry of Livestock and Dairy Development.
The approval in principle was subject to checks and balances to be developed by Secretaries of Commerce and Livestock ministries. Accordingly, Ministry of Commerce was approached by the Ministry of Livestock, but no consensus on checks and balances has been reached so far, sources added.
They said that the Ministry of Livestock is of the view that quota of small number of surplus livestock should be determined by a joint committee of the Ministry of Livestock, Ministry of Commerce, and other stakeholders. Sixty percent of the quota should be reserved for livestock and farms registered with the Ministry of Livestock.
The Ministry of Livestock further argued that exports should be conducted by routine procedure of export of animals through customs authorities after obtaining animal quarantine certificate. Livestock Ministry will monitor the exports by allocating quota.
On the other hand, Commerce Ministry is of the view that registration of livestock farms, allocation of quota to individual exporters, registration of export contract for 45 days, and taking earnest money from exporters should be conducted by it through Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).
As per past and existing practice, sources said, TDAP had never been involved in export of live animals. The current Export Policy 2008-09 states that export of live animals is allowed as per procedure and conditions laid down by Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (now Ministry of Livestock and Dairy Development). TDAP has never been involved in the export of fish either. Sources said that import and export of livestock and livestock products is exclusively assigned to Ministry of Livestock by the Cabinet Division.
Livestock Ministry has submitted a proposal to the ECC, seeking permission to monitor export of live animals as per existing Export Policy 2008-09, which states that export of live animals is allowed as per procedure and conditions laid down vide Minfal (now Ministry of Livestock and Dairy Development). Commerce Ministry is said to have opposed the proposal vigorously as it would restart the notorious ' parchi system', which was the hallmark of previous PPP governments.