RAWALPINDI, Sept 14: Experts at a seminar here on Sunday stressed the need for disease-free livestock and termed it inevitable for the country which would become a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime by year 2005.

The seminar on ‘the importance of livestock in WTO regime’ was organized by Pakistan Livestock Research Scientists Association (PLRSA). It was presided over by the parliamentary secretary for Punjab local governments Raja Rashid Hafeez.

The speakers said the deadly Foot and Mouth Disease which wreaked havoc every year and a major hindrance to enhance the source of foreign exchange earning, was curable after the introduction of homeo-medicine FMT. The FMT has been given efficacy certificates by the Agriculture University, Faisalabad, and Veterinary Research Institute, Lahore, they said.

“The FMT, therefore, will be disseminated to the end-users through the concerned government departments so that the productivity and quality of the livestock and their products can be improved, they said.

Mr Hafeez said there was a great potential for the improvement of livestock sector and the latest researches could turn the country from food deficit to food surplus.