Pakistan moves to improve animal husbandry and revive exports
Pakistan's food and agriculture minister Khair Mohammad Jonejo announced on Saturday (January 26, 2002) a programme to prevent and eradicate major animal diseases, build quarantine facilities and improve practices at slaughter houses. The programme will focus on the threat of BSE and foot and mouth disease and will cost around Rs 1.40 billion. The minister was speaking during the inauguration of a new animal quarantine facility at the department of plant protection (DPP) in Karachi.
There is some pressure on Pakistan to improve its quality of animal husbandry after Saudi Arabia and UAE banned imports from the country on the grounds that quarantine and slaughter houses were not up to standard. A delegation from both countries is due on February 9 to inspect the facilities. The livestock sector in Pakistan constitutes 39% of all agricultural production and contributes 9% of GDP.
The minister promised that a state-of-the-art quarantine laboratory will be functional in Islamabad within three months at a cost of Rs 153 million. DPP director Saleem Khan said that several quarantine offices have been set up at all exit and entry points for exports and imports in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Sialkot, etc. He said the department was issuing quarantine certificates for the export and import of animals and animal products. The animal quarantine house at Karachi will provide space for 300 large and 900 small animals.
