Myanmar Cattle Exporters Request G2G Trade with China
MYANMAR - To legalise the export of cattle such as cows and water buffalos to China, long delays in the processing of approvals between the two countries must be shortened, U Sein Aye Maung, chair of the Magwe Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said during a meeting with Vice President U Myint Swe at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.Even though Myanmar traders pay taxes to export cattle to China, the Chinese may not be legally purchasing the cattle. As such, local traders have requested a government-to-government (G2G) arrangement to legalise the whole process, U Sein Aye Maung told The Myanmar Times.
"Under a G2G arrangement, our market can strengthen and grow. Secondly, if there are any financial disputes, there will be legal recourse to minimise losses. These are the advantages for us," he said.
The request for G2G trade comes after the Ministry of Commerce in late 2017 legalised the export of live cattle with the objective of reducing illegal exports as well as improving the lives of farmers through the creation of job opportunities.
Since the ban on exports was lifted, the total number of cattle exported from Magwe Region has reached 5,400. There are 118 companies across the 16 townships of Magwe which now export live cattle.
Currently, 3,200 cattle have been collected from Magwe Region to holding compounds. After undergoing the required health certifications and vaccinations, the cattle will be ready for export, said U Sein Aye Maung.
Traders must also apply for permission to export the cattle and later submit the relevant documents stating the number of animals sold to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation so that proper records can be kept.
During the meeting with the U Myint Swe, the Magwe Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry requested noted that costs such as feeding and caring for the animals during the holding period are high as it takes 2-3 months for such procedures to be complete.
"As we have to wait a long time to get the necessary recommendations from the departments, the maintenance cost increases for livestock animals like water buffalos, cows, sheep and goats. The longer they are held, the higher the cost becomes. As such, we are requesting that these steps are reduced or expedited," said U Sein Aye Maung.
The Magwe traders also suggested that the Livestock Breeding & Veterinary Department visit the livestock breeders at their farms to administer the veterinary treatments instead.
They also requested loans with low interest rates as the breeding companies, especially smaller family businesses, need cash flow and funds for growth and investment.
TheCattleSite News Desk