SAV Comment:
So now we hear that Romania and China have signed a ‘Memorandum of Agreement’ concerning animal health, we can all sleep safe in our beds knowing that any animals involved in this trade will not suffer ? ! ?
Romania ? – well we have covered enough recently on their attitude to ‘animals and animal welfare’ – and China ?
Here is the Chinese attitude to ‘animal health’:
We at SAV have, some 25+ years experience in the live animal export trade; something which we publish on a fairly regular basis. To say that we have any faith in a ‘Memorandum of Agreement’ concerning animal health between Romania and China is like us having faith in a new chocolate teapot arriving at the market.
Whatever happens, we will attempt to continue to expose exactly what goes on with this ‘trade agreement’ between two nations who are not exactly top of the list when it comes to good animal welfare. They have to prove themselves and that this is worth more than just the piece of paper that was signed in this ‘agreement’; it needs to give attention to the thousands of animals that will become involved.
Yes, there are some great animal people in China and Romania doing what they can to help animals, and we fully respect them for what they are doing; but as the old saying goes, a nation is judged on how it treats its animals; regardless of anything else; and so Romania and China are generally viewed as very poor when it comes to ‘animal welfare’, despite the heroic efforts of the minority few helping animals.
We are watching this to see what happens in the coming months.
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Link:
http://www.romania-insider.com/romania-and-china-move-closer-to-live-animal-export-agreement/106652/
Romania and China move closer to live animal export agreement
Live pork and cattle trade between Romania and China could begin as early as November this year.
Chairman of the Romanian National Sanitary-Veterinary Authority (ANSVSA) Vladimir Manastireanu recently said trade would start after export certificates were straightened out and the necessary protocols were signed, which could happen in late October or early November.
The chairman said export certificates had almost been “harmonized” as negotiations continued with representatives from China’s veterinary services.
The parties are working through issues including the conditions that have to be met by importers and exporters, diseases to be supervised as well as quality levels.
The commencement of trade was only a “matter of time” as both parties were keen on the agreement, Manastireanu said.
The announcement follows an economic delegation to China involving the ANSVSA between September 2 and 7.
On 30 August 2013, Romania and China signed a Memorandum of Agreement concerning animal health and safety in relation to food exports, which paved the way for Romanian producers to enter China’s market of two billion inhabitants.
For the Romanian food companies, as well as for animal breeders, the memorandum also potentially opens export markets in other countries including Vietnam, Hong Kong and Algeria.
According to the data from Romania’s National Institute for Statistics, the total number of pigs in Romania was 5.23 million as of December last year. By head, this was a drop of 2.4 percent compared to the almost 5.4 million pigs recorded during the same period of 2011.
As for cattle, their number slightly increased from 2011 to 2012 with the number hovering around 1.26 million.
Shaun Turton, shaun@romania-insider.com
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, Romania - Stray Animal Killings 2013 | Leave a comment »
Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) 