Kazakhstan gets status of zone free from foot and mouth disease
ASTANA. May 26 (Interfax) - The International Epizootic Bureau (IEB) has issued Kazakhstan a certificate giving it the status of a zone free from foot and mouth disease, Kazakh First Deputy Agriculture Minister Kairat Aituganov said.
"As a result of the targeted-oriented work to prevent foot and mouth disease and strict observance of the strategy to fight foot and mouth disease in accordance with international requirements, an official ceremony for issuing a certificate giving Kazakhstan the status of a zone free from foot and mouth disease was held in Paris on May 25, 2017," he told a press conference in Astana on Friday.
Delegates from 180 countries unanimously voted to give this status to Kazakhstan at the IEB General Assembly meeting in Paris on May 23, he said.
"The status enables the country to export animal and plant products to WTO countries, which will help use the export potential of our agro-industrial sector," Aituganov said.
The Agriculture Ministry will continue working with China on lifting restrictions on meat exports in connection with the issuance of this certificate, Aituganov said.
"The Chinese authorized veterinary agency in September 2016 lifted the restrictions on foot and mouth disease based on the IEB decision on nine areas. The Agriculture Ministry's veterinary control committee continue working with the Chinese authorities on lifting the restrictions from the five remaining areas based on the status, which has been received," he said.
Additionally, there are plans to establish the supply of Kazakh products to new markets in the near future.
"The Persian Gulf countries, Iran, Israel, are also ready to permit Kazakhstan export animal products from the entire territory of Kazakhstan based on the status received," Aituganov said.
The prices on the internal market may grow due to an increase in meat exports, he said.
"In any case, consumption is increasing on the internal market as well and export will also grow [...] No one rules out that an increase in exports will increase the price on the internal market because it becomes profitable for agricultural manufacturers to produce at those prices," he said.
The status of a zone free from foot and mouth disease will enable Kazakhstan to export its animal products to EU and WTO countries.
