After UAE restriction, TOMCL says will continue meat exports to UAE via sea

The Organic Meat Company Limited (TOMCL), a Pakistani meat processor, has said that it will continue to export frozen and vacuum-packed chilled meat products to its market in United Arab Emirates (UAE) via sea route.

The company, which exports meat products to the GCC market, shared the development in its filing to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Thursday.

The statement comes a day after the UAE government imposed restrictions on the export of fresh chilled meat via sea from Pakistan with effect from October 10th, 2023.

“The reason for this restriction was that one of the meat exporters, not being The Organic Meat Company Limited, exported sub-quality fresh chilled meat to UAE via sea,” TOMCL said in its notice.

The company said that the said restriction is only on fresh chilled meat exports and shipments via sea and not via air.

“Further, there are no restrictions on either frozen or vacuum-packed fresh chilled meat shipments and exports to the UAE via sea,” it said.

TOMCL shared that it has extensive facilities to supply frozen and vacuum-packed chilled meat products to UAE customers and prospects. “We will maintain our sea route for this purpose, which will not affect our revenues and margins,” it added.

On Tuesday, the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment updated its list of ‘approved slaughterhouses from countries, which are allowed to export meats and poultry meats to the UAE’, under which the ministry ordered to restrict the import from Pakistani companies through the sea route from October 10.

The UAE also mentioned specific requirements for shipments of fresh and chilled meat before October 10 via the sea route.

“Type of transportation from Pakistan to UAE for fresh, chilled meat by sea, only allowed for (vacuum packed - and/ or modified-atmosphere packed – meat), and their shelf life (according to UAE technical regulation UAE.S 150- 1) range from 60 to 120 days from the date of slaughtering,” it said.

However, the order will not affect the shipments of fresh and chilled meat which are sent via the air route.

Currently, the UAE allows 18 Pakistani companies to export meat to the Gulf country. The list includes TOMCL, K&N’s, Al-Shaheer Corporation, Fauji Meat Limited among others.