Special Correspondent :
The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has turned down the businessmen’s proposal to import meat from India, citing adverse impact on local cattle farming.
Ministry Secretary Md Maksudul Hasan Khan told the New Nation yesterday, there is no need to import meat from India, as it will hurt local farmers.
He said that they have already sent a written objection to the Ministry of Commerce in this regard.
The businessmen recently took the initiative through the Commerce Ministry.
FBCCI President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin earlier said, the price of beef might come down to a reasonable level if the meat is imported from India.
He came up with the comment following businessmen’s demand to import meat from India amid rising beef price in local market.
India exports buffalo meat only as beef trading is banned in the country amid continuous anti-Muslim hatred over slaughtering cows.
Vietnam is the biggest importer of red meat from India. “We’re against import of such meat as Bangladesh has made an outstanding improvements in the production of meat in the last few years,” said Maksudul Hasan Khan.
He said, currently the annual demand for meat in Bangladesh is 70 lakh tonnes, which is now being produced in the country. “As a result, importing meat from India will send the local cattle farmers in to deep trouble.”
“Instead of importing, we are now looking for opportunities to export meat. We still have some problems with quality control, but we will overcome this after enforcing proper quality control method and monitoring,” said the secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.
