Chairman, Pakistan Tanners Association (South Zone), Dr Aziz Ahmed has urged the government to impose ban on export of livestock to overcome shortage of meat and hides in the country. Talking to Business Recorder, he said smuggling of live animals has increased manifold under the cover of export for Pakistan to Iran and Afghanistan.
He said that government of Pakistan allowed export of 300,000 animals per year whereas actual figure is fourfold higher than this. He expressed fear that prices of mutton will increase to rupees 850 per kg and beef Rs 500 per kg or above if smuggling and export of live animals continues. Currently, beef is being sold at Rs 300 and mutton at Rs 500 per kg, he said.
Replying to a question, he said that price of mutton is Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,400 per kg in India and Afghanistan which provides good incentive for smugglers to mint money. He further said the prevailing shortage of hides has increased prices of goat skin from Rs 300 to Rs 600 and cattle from Rs 1,800 to Rs 3,600. Dr Aziz said that export of live animals is depriving Pakistan of precious foreign exchange, which could be in the shape of value-added goods. People are also being deprived of protein, which they get by consuming meat. At present, protein consumption in Pakistan is 180 per head whereas international standard is 230 per head, he maintained.
He pointed out that a number of countries in the world have imposed ban on export of certain commodity to meet the local requirement, adding that Pakistan should adopt a similar policy. Livestock is fast depleting in the country and new breed takes around three to five years to become mature.
Replying to a question, PTA (SZ) chairman said that Pakistan hopefully would cross leather and leather goods export target of one billion dollars this year. "Achieving this figure is not due to increase in exports but will be due to increase of leather and leather products prices in the international market".
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