[box type=”shadow” align=”” class=”” width=””]PROFILE:
- Chairman: Saifigroup of Companies (U.A.E., Pakistan, Thailand & K.S.A.)
- Chairman: Standing Committee on Halal Food Import & Export – LCCI
- Chairman: Standing committee on “Halal Products & Services” FPCCI
- Chairman: All Pakistan Meat Exporters & Processors Association
- EX. Member: E.C. Member – LCCI
- Patron: The Lahore General Hospital – Lahore[/box]
All Pakistan Meat Processors and Exporters Association (APMPEA) have urged the government to extend support package to its members to win a respectable place in US$ 2.3 trillion international Halal market.
‘We as a Muslim country can make our presence feel heavily in the international Halal Market which is currently being enjoyed by non-muslim Countries such as Brazil, India, China and others because of apathy of government departments towards domestic Halal Food exporters especially Meat exporters,’ said APMPEA Chairman and Chariman Standing Committee On Halal Food Import & Export Mr. Nasib Ahmad Saifi while talking with Media here on Thursday.
He said that besides many other issues such as slaughtering of female animals, smuggling and export of live animals instead of exporting value added products, Quarantine offices and their officials are also not cooperative with the Exporters thus causing hindrance in boosting Halal Meat Exports. Saifi said that he had submitted a set of proposal to the Federal Secretary Food security which include that countries are taking advantage of technology which is developing leaps and bound such as issuance of online certification etc but in Pakistan it is not being practiced. ‘We have proposed that the Quarantine office should remain open round the clock and issue Quarantine certificates for consignments whenever it is needed.
‘In modern world the animal quarantine departments are linked with slaughter houses for animal health data sharing to know the reasons of animal rejection. It helps to identify onset of any animal disease outbreak. Similar kind of mechanism in Pakistan can contribute significantly towards improving the Livestock health and safeguarding the farmers from financial suffering due to prompt information based action by authorities concerned,’ Saifi added.
He further said that keeping in view the perishable nature of the Processed Halal Meat and other products and specific dynamics of Meat Export business, animal Quarantine offices should be housed near slaughter houses. Present office in Lahore is situated near a very congested residency (Kachi Abadi) at least some 65KM far from slaughterhouses.
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‘We also need extended working hours as consignment can be ready at any time and Exporter may need certificate or other support of the quarantine office. Presently these
offices observe five days a week schedule and also remained closed on all gazette holidays.’
The situation being faced by Exporters could be explained through one case: A chilled chicken consignment for UAE possesses 3 days shelf life. A consignment unable to find space in any flight for UAE on Friday will consume its whole shelf life before being exported only due to unavailability of quarantine service on weekend. Moreover the quarantine offices’ working hours are also in accordance to usual public offices. He suggested that the quarantine facility should remain open round the clock to promptly cater all consignments being loaded at availability of flights at different hours of day and night.
He also complained about the behavior of Quarantine Officers and termed it noncooperative.
He said that they seemed not interested in boosting the Halal Meat Export.
They are not Exporters friendly and have no time for exporters to solve their problems, he alleged.
It is usual practice that the consignment inspected and booked at one flight is offloaded/missed from dispatch due to space unavailability or any other reason. Such incidents do not happen because of any fault or negligence of exporter but because of availability of space. However, the quarantine department again charges fee on inspection on the same consignment ready to be loaded on next available flight. This double charging on same consignment should be abolished, he requested.
Saifi concluding his discourse said that the Halal Meat Export industry which is in its infancy in Pakistan but competent at the same time should be given due priority. Various privileges along with zero rated taxation, facilitations and relaxations in various phases of production, transportations and Export should be given to Halal Meat Exporter of Pakistan to make them able to compete in global market with more courage and confidence. Halal Meat industry has a potential of expanding the Meat Export four folds in no time. This can only be possible if Government of Pakistan provide patronage to this extremely neglected industry as well, he concluded.