Animal breeders demand blocking meat imports

The Councils on Pigs, Pork and Processed Produces and on Poultry, Eggs and Processed Products ask the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry not to issue authorizations for the import of meat until February 1, 2010, Info-Prm Neo reports. The request was formulated in a memorandum of understanding which aims to ensure a general framework for developing the animal breeding sector and slaughterhouses. The animal breeders say there is enough meat in Moldova for internal consumption. According to the Agriculture Ministry's Animal Breeding Division, 135,000-140,000 tonnes of meat are produced in Moldova every year. 3,000-4,000 tonnes of these are exported, while 115,000-125,000 tonnes are consumed inside the country. At the same time, Moldova imports 20,000-35,000 tonnes of meat a year. In the nine months to September, meat production rose by 150%, while poultry production – by 120%. A number of 3,700 cows, over 10,000 sheep, about 30,000 pigs and more than 1.7 million fowls can be now taken for slaughter. The refrigerating storehouses contain about 7,000 tonnes of meat, of which only about 2,000 tonnes are poultry produced in the country. The animal breeders say the home market has been glutted with imported cheap meat and demand that the import duties on meat and comestible organs be raised by up to 20% plus 400 euros per tonne by amending the law on the customs duty. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry has not yet made a decision over the given request, but promised to address the issue.