Disease-free: UAE to send team to inspect poultry

Experts to review situation in Pakistan, lifting ban on imports a possibility.

ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will soon send a team of experts to Pakistan to inspect its poultry infrastructure and system in order to look into the possibility of lifting a ban on the import of poultry products from the country.   

The poultry ban issue was discussed on Wednesday during a meeting between the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research (MNFSR), Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan and Ambassador of UAE to Pakistan, Essa Abdulla Al Basha Al Noaimi, Secretary MNFSR Seerat Asghar was also present on the occasion.

UAE had earlier placed a ban on the imports of poultry products from Pakistan on account of the eruption of the bird flu disease. During the meeting, the ambassador was informed of a recent visit by a four-member technical delegation from Saudi Arabia. The delegation shared its confidence in sanitary measures undertaken by the Pakistani authorities for ensuring export of safe quality food.

The delegation had also expressed satisfaction over the quality of poultry and livestock infrastructure in Pakistan.  Speaking on the occasion, Bosan said that there was a great potential of trade between Pakistan and the UAE in the agriculture sector particularly in areas of poultry and livestock.

Ambassador Noaimi said “Pakistan has a great scope of increasing exports of agricultural products to UAE because of its geographical proximity with his country.”

On the occasion, Asghar expressed the hope that UAE would soon restore import of poultry products from Pakistan as it has been declared free from bird flu disease. Further strengthening of bilateral trade between the two countries was also agreed upon during the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2014.

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