HATYAI, April 22 (Bernama) — Thailand is ready to re-supply cattles and buffaloes to Malaysia by complying with all import rules and procedures set by the Malaysian Veterinary Services Department (JPV), especially for sacrificial rituals ahead of Hari Raya Aidiladha in July.
Director of the Livestock International Cooperation Division of the Department of Livestock Development of Thailand (DLD) Dr. Wacharapon Chotiyaputta told Bernama that his country has sufficient facilities, capacity and supplies for exports.
On June 7, 2021, JPV suspended imports of cattle and buffaloes from Thailand with immediate effect after assessing the risk of Lumpy Skin Disease’s (LSD) transmission reported in more than 41 provinces in Thailand. The ruling was taken to curb the risk of LSD’s transmission from Thailand, in the interest of the Malaysian ruminant farming industry. After several meetings, discussions and improvements to several import rules and procedures, the JPV lifted the ban on the import of cattle and buffaloes from Thailand with immediate effect on March 15.
Sri Wichai (Phatthalung) Beef Producer Cooperative Ltd President Supak Thammaphet said his party now have sufficient supply of cattle and buffalo meat – fully vaccinated and quarantined for 28 days at DLD-approved quarantine centres – for export to Malaysia.
In 2021, Malaysia imported 12,405 cattles from Thailand in conjunction with the Aidiladha celebration compared to 12,553 in 2020.
Meanwhile, Deputy Director-General of the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services (Maqis) Dr Azhari Sharidan Abu Bakar urged all industry players, including importers, middlemen and breeders to cooperate by ensuring that livestock imports from Thailand complies with the prescribed rules.
“This measure is important to control diseases such as LSD, Food and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Tuberculosis. We need to ensure public health is guaranteed and local livestock are not exposed to diseases,” he told Bernama.
Sources: BERNAMA