Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council’s Registrar, Dr. Alamdar Hussain Malik has said that farmers in Pakistan have been using antibiotic growth promoter drugs for livestock farming.
According to him, chicken and animal meat containing heavy doses of such drugs and antibiotics are supplied to the market. He advised a National Assembly Standing Committee’s meeting, overseen by MNA Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan, to prevent farmers from continuing this practice.
Highlighting the economic effects, Dr. Alamdar said that the Pakistani livestock export rate is almost zero due to foot and mouth diseases and drug residues in the livestock.
A 5-day period is advisable for the growth promoting drugs to take complete effect after which the drug does not remain in the bodies of the animals but farmers do not take into account this time frame and slaughter the animal before the chicken becomes edible.
Due to this, the drug residues remain in the meat – the meat is supplied to the market in the same state.
Siraj Mohammad Khan, another member, added that the farmers also inject water into the animal’s bodies to increase the weight of the meat.
Assuring the assembly, Dr. Abdur Rehman – the Poultry Research Institute Rawalpindi Director – said that the Punjab Poultry Feed Act does not allow such adulteration and negligence, the Act has been imposed strictly and the authorities are closely regulating the meat suppliers.
Adding into his claim, the Director also assured that the farmers do account for the 5-day period and stop injecting the stock with drugs 5-days before supplying it to the customers. According to him, the violators of this Act have been rightfully litigated.
An Animal Quarantine Department official told the members that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) banned the export of livestock around 5 years ago in 2013.
According to him, Pakistan earned hefty revenues from exporting Halal meat to Muslim countries – the country made $214.5 million between 2012 and 2013.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Livestock Department’s Dr. Sher Mohammad said that the KPK government will sign a memorandum of understanding with a livestock company hailing from China.
A Higher Education Commission (HEC) representative added that the education commission is offering several scholarships in both veterinary and agricultural majors.
Concluding the issue, the committee was told that the issue will be resolved in another cabinet meeting.
Via Dawn