The Hindu Business Line : Apeda to cash in on mad cow disease fallout

THE Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), along with the meat industry, plans to take advantage of the current situation in the global meat market, a top Apeda official has said.

This includes the situation arising out of the ban on US beef and cattle products by a host of countries following the detection of mad cow disease or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Washington on December 23.

"As such, we are competitive in the global market and have a fair share in it," Mr K.S. Money, Apeda Chairman, told Business Line. "We are doing well in the world market and we have very good processing facilities," he said.

Meat products, comprising buffalo, sheep and goat meat, from the country are shipped to West Asia, the Philippines, Malaysia and other South-East Asian countries.

Last year, efforts were made to enter the African countries. Export of beef from the country is banned.

"We now have enquiries from CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) nations. They are keenly interested in Indian meat products," Mr Money said.

For the data available during April-August 2003, meat products exports declined to $108.51 million (Rs 505.66 crore) against $117.54 (Rs 573.60 crore).

"There has been a slight fall in meat products export during the first half of the fiscal. That is because some of the importing nations in South-East Asia suddenly embargo our products," he said.

This, according to sources, is because some of the importers raise the issue of presence of foot-and-mouth disease in the cattle in the country. In 2001, West Asia stopped buying meat from the country due to the disease outbreak but following Apeda's efforts, the region resumed imports.

"When such issues are raised, we provide them assurance that the meat processed for exports are procured from areas free from the disease," Mr Money said.

"We follow the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules on such exports fully and under this, our meat processing units can be assessed. Our processing units are all modernised and have good facilities to ensure hygiene of the products exported," he said.

However, the US Department of Agriculture has forecast carabeef (buffalo meat) exports to rise 12 per cent to 5.20 lakh tonnes.

It also sees CIS nations shifting to India from the EU for their meat demand especially due to the breakout of the mad cow disease.

Aiding higher exports will be increase in cattle population following rise in fodder availability and better prices for meat.

"Our meat products are very competitive in the global market," Mr Money said. "Also, our products are being liked because they are seen as leaner meat."

Figures of the competitiveness are, however, not available.

Currently, the mad cow disease, which could affect the $27-billion US cattle industry, has resulted in major US beef importers such as Japan, Korea, South Africa, Australia, China and some West Asian nations to ban Washington cattle products.

Though the US has launched several confidence-building measures, the buyers are yet to accept it whole-heartedly.

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