KARACHI, Jan 5: Meat exports may suffer another setback due to shortage of meat in view of suspension of smuggled livestock arrival from India through Pakistan-India border, sources said on Saturday.
They said that export of meat has already been under pressure since the ban imposed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in July 2002 and Saudi Arab in March 2001.
Exports of meat in July-November 2001 plunged by 52 per cent to $1.2 million as compared to $2.56 million in the same period of 2000. Saudi Arabia and the UAE were considered as main markets for meat exports.
The closure of Rajasthan and Sindh borders in view of rising fear of war between two arch rivals has virtually put on hold the 50-60 per cent supply of livestock (cows and goats) to the city. Prices of beef and mutton have already gone up by Rs 10-20 per kg due to shortage of livestock. The number of slaughtering goats and cows has already come down.
Meat merchants have already urged the government to suspend export of meat to rest of the destinations like Kuwait, Muscat, Bahrain, Qatar and Sharjah in order to overcome shortage of meat, which may take an ugly turn if situation at the border does not normalise.
But a senior official in the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), looking after meat exports, did not agree that the exports will be hit further, saying that the suspension in arrival of livestock through smuggling will hardly make any difference.
He said exports of meat are still going without any interruption except for Saudi Arabia and the UAE and so far no exporters have complained of any shortage of meat. He said that exporters usually procure meat for export purpose from the production of livestock in Sindh and Punjab.
Countrywide production of cattle rose by 1.8 per cent to 22.4 million in 2000-2001 as compared to 22 million in 1999-2000 while buffalo production surged by 2.6 per cent to 23.3 million from 22.7 million. Goat production rose by 3.8 per cent to 49.2 million from 47.4 million. Production of beef in 2000-2001 stood at 1,010,000 tons from 985,000 tons while mutton production also surged by 2.6 per cent to 666,000 tons from 649,000 tons.
He said EPB has been making hectic efforts to get this ban lifted and extended invitation to the authorities concerned in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia through embassy or mission to visit Pakistan for inspection.
An inspection team from the UAE was due to visit Pakistan but it got delayed because of September 11 tragedy. The team is now expected to visit some time in future, the official said. Both the countries had imposed ban on meat for not conforming hygienic standards followed by reports of foot and mouth disease in Pakistan.
In case borders remain sealed and livestock meat shortage persists, a large number of people will switch over to poultry products and its meat. Poultry prices, which had been rising since October, have now stabilized due to intervention of city government in December. In October live bird and its meat were selling at Rs46 per kg and Rs81 per kg, rising to Rs48 per kg and Rs84 per kg in November and Rs62 per kg and Rs109 per kg in December.
However, egg prices have now reached an all time high on Saturday to Rs37 per dozen from Rs36 per dozen on January 4 and Rs35 per dozen on January 1. In October, egg was available at Rs25 per dozen, moving up to Rs30 per dozen in November and Rs33 per dozen in December.
Poultry dealers attribute the price hike in egg to rising demand in winter season coupled with opening of schools as most of children usually eat egg in winter.
