"We are already short of animals and such relaxations which are offered to the UAE and other Arab countries will create further hardships for the meat processing industry of the country", Saifi said while talking to Business Recorder here on Saturday.
He said the Association has already urged the government to take steps for stopping smuggling of livestock from the country to enable the meat processing and exporting sector fully exploit the opportunities which exist in the multi-billion dollars international halal market. Live animals were already being exported through launches and such relaxations would result in exporting these animals through big vessels, he apprehended.
Saifi said the government should put a complete ban on export of live animals and check smuggling with an iron hand. He said this would help the formal sector to grow as well as add to the national exchequer through increased revenue. He was of the view that smuggling and exports of live animals was a main cause for higher prices of animals too.
He also urged the government to encourage billions of rupees worth processing industry instead of exporting live animals. "We should encourage export of value-added items of meat which will bring precious foreign exchange to the country", he said.
Saifi said if such anti-industry steps (relaxation of ban) would continue then the industry would be compelled to take some direct action. "This could also include shifting the meat processing industry to Malaysia." He said the textile industry had shifted its mills to Bangladesh under such circumstances and now the government is paving the way for the meat processing industry," he warned, and claimed that the Malaysian government was ready to welcome Pakistani meat processors and exporters.
Saifi also claimed that exports and processors of halal meat do not believe in doing business with the involvement of interest. Nevertheless, they always want loan for meeting their working capital needs, expansion or otherwise. He requested the government for extending interest-free loans to meat exporters for a 20-year term.
He said the government should assign commercial officers posted abroad to contribute to halal food exports from Pakistan by introducing our local manufacturers and processors to new halal food markets, especially in Turkey, Central Asia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt. He also called upon the government to help the meat exporters to participate in foreign exhibitions which is another effective way to introduce the products to new customers and make inroads in new markets.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017