UAE bans meat imports from Pakistan via sea

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) banned the import of frozen meat from Pakistan via sea route after discovering fungus in a shipment of beef.

The meat shipment was sent by sea by a Karachi-based company, and the entire shipment was destroyed by UAE officials, while a ban on any further imports of frozen meat from Pakistan through maritime channels was enforced at least until October 10.

However, meat exports by air will continue unabated.

Pakistan sells meat to the UAE worth approximately $144 million per year.

According to Naseeb Ahmad Saifi, a meat exporter, the UAE authorities have imposed an embargo until Pakistani frozen meat producers begin following the protocol provided by the destination country for future shipments.

According to the standard, exporters must vacuum-pack their products before transporting them by sea in a refrigerated container. He apologised that incompetence in dispatching the export consignment had brought a poor name to the country. He stated that the ’embargo’ on meat exports is exclusively on the sea route and that aviation exports will proceed as usual.

The country produces over 4.9 million tonnes of meat and exports only 95,991 tonnes or approximately 2% of total production. Its main clients are Gulf Cooperation Council countries and several Far East countries, with meat shipments to China, Egypt, and Indonesia beginning just a few months ago.

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