EU keen on lifting beef ban
By Bulawayo Correspondent
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 13:11
HARARE – The European Union (EU) says it is keen to lift a ban on beef
imports from Zimbabwe, a decade after it was imposed following a foot and
mouth outbreak.
Zimbabwe, through the Cold Storage Company (CSC), used to supply the EU
market with tonnes of beef, generating a lot of foreign currency for the
country.
In an interview in Bulawayo, EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Aldo Dell’ Ariccia
said the EU is willing to resume beef inports from the CSC.
“The EU is keen to negotiate with Zimbabwe. Our wish is that this issue
could been solved and trade restarted because Zimbabwe has the best meat
that I have ever had,” said ambassador Ariccia.
Ambassador Ariccia however, said Zimbabwe could resume exporting beef on
condition that it meets the EU sanitary standards.
“The issue of exporting meat to the EU is centrally due to the sanitary
condition. The EU has to protect the market from getting meat that is
contaminated with foot and mouth disease,” he said.
Accricia was adamant that the country should ensure that its beef was
disease free if it wanted to re-enter the EU market.
“As long the foot and mouth disease is not under control for safety reasons
the EU will not import from Zimbabwe,” he said.
Before CSC faced challenges, its sophisticated and integrated facilities,
which included abattoirs in Chinhoyi, Marondera and Masvingo had a slaughter
capacity of up to 600 000 head of cattle per year.
Since the EU suspended beef imports from Zimbabwe in 2001, the company has
been the brink of collapse. The company used to supply about 9 100 tonnes of
beef annually to EU countries.
Economist Eddie Cross said the revival of the company through resuming
exports to the EU was critical for the revival of many companies especially
in Bulawayo were the company has its headquarters.
“The CSC is still critical to the stability, recovery and growth of the
industry and will have to be revived in order to restore Zimbabwe’s
potential,” Cross said.
He said Matabeleland is still remained the largest supplier of cattle and
small livestock to the local market.