Following the removal of restrictions on import of rose petals and easing of inspection regime for mangoes from Pakistan, Japan has lifted the ban on import of animal casing from Pakistan with effect from May 21, 2020
Following the removal of restrictions on import of rose petals and easing of inspection regime for mangoes from Pakistan, Japan has lifted the ban on import of animal casing from Pakistan with effect from May 21, 2020.
The authorization to this effect has been issued by Japan’s Chief Veterinary Officer Mr. Kiyoyasu Ishi Kawa, said a press release received here Friday.
Pakistan had been exporting animal casings to Japan since 1985 but the Animal Health Division at the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries (MAFF) restricted the import of animal casing from Pakistan to Japan in 2017 due to enhanced Animal Health Requirements (AHRS) related to disinfecting measures. This had resulted in a complete ban on the import of animal casings from Pakistan.
The leading exporter of the animal casing from Pakistan to Japan M/s United Casing Corporation, Lahore immediately improved their processing unit according to the new Japanese standards followed by inspection of the facilities by a team of Japanese experts from MAFF in November 2017.
However, the matter kept pending for over two years since the visit of Japanese professional delegation to Pakistan.
According to Tahir Habib Cheema, Trade & Investment Officer at the Embassy of Pakistan in Tokyo, the Japanese Animal Health Division was re-engaged in January this year to resolve the matter by involving stakeholders from both sides. Satisfying all queries of Japanese authorities, the negotiations were successfully concluded in March 2020 followed by a thorough exercise on drafting certificate templates.
Efficiently achieving another milestone, Mr. Cheema has shared that MAFF has finally allowed import of animal casing from Pakistan with effect from May 21, 2020, while designating United Casing’s unit in Lahore as one of the Designated Salted Casing Facilities according to the Animal Health Requirements for salted natural casings to be exported to Japan from Pakistan.