Thailand
Cambodia: Temporary ban on frozen Indian meat supplies rescinded
The government’s lifting of its temporary ban on frozen meat supplies from India is being viewed as a positive development for that nation’s meat exporters. The ban had been put in place last month because of a fear of Covid-19 virus contamination.
The Indian Embassy in Phnom Penh maintained a position throughout the ban that there was no scientific evidence behind the restriction, according to a source tracking the matter.
Exporters say that the development reinforces the fact the Indian meat industry supplies a world-class product and that exports can be expected to grow this year despite the lingering effect of the pandemic.
“We are grateful to our Indian embassy in Cambodia for taking up the issue and explaining things logically to the Cambodian government to establish that Indian supplies are totally safe. We are hopeful that our exports to the Cambodian market will touch $100 million this year,” said Fauzan Alavi, a large-scale exporter of meat from India and spokesperson for the All-India Meat & Livestock Exporters Association.
Cambodia had placed the temporary ban on imported frozen buffalo and other meat products originating from India on May 1, stating that it was in accordance with multilateral trade rules that allowed restrictions to be placed on imports on the basis of “urgent public health protection”.
The country also decided to conduct testing and research for other pathogens, especially variants of the Coronavirus, on the consignments. It planned to seek cooperation of the Indian government to find and identify sources of infection in the production, freezing, packaging and transportation of these goods, according to media reports.
The Indian embassy, however, pointed out to the Cambodian government that the absence of scientific evidence of Covid-19 spreading through food and packaging material made the ban a non-tariff barrier, the source said. In a number of meetings with Cambodia’s Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth, Indian Ambassador to Cambodia Devyani Khobragade insisted that the ban should be withdrawn because the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia had certified that all the samples were Covid-negative and fit for human consumption.
The embassy also pointed out that there was a growing demand for Indian meat products in Cambodia. The sector’s exports to the Kingdom reached $9.32 million in January to February, more than half of the $17.7 million in 2020. In 2019, Indian meat exports to Cambodia were valued at $6.4 million.
Alavi said that no virus has ever been detected in supplies from India and therefore demand was on the rise. “Indonesia has placed an order for 53,000 tonnes worth $175 million. Egypt, too, has exceeded all historical records in buying Indian buffalo meat so far,” he said.
India exported buffalo meat worth $3.4 billion in 2020-21.
Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50879442/temporary-ban-on-frozen-indian-meat-supplies-rescinded/