Livestock farmers urge the Centre to take steps to resume egg export to Qatar

KOCHI: The livestock farmers have urged the Centre to initiate steps to resume export of eggs from India to Qatar, which is now catered to by EU and the US at high prices ever since its isolation by the other Gulf countries.

According to Livestock & Agri Farmers Trade Association, India was supplying 80% of Qatar’s table eggs requirements before 2008. After the bird flu outbreak in 2006 & 2008 in northern parts of India, Qatar banned Indian poultry products including eggs.

In spite of World Organisation of Animal Health norms to lift ban after 90 days of surveillance and to allow import from unaffected zones, Qatar did not open up its market for India and was supporting imports from Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain.`` Now due to the recent isolation by the gulf countries, the supplies have been stopped from these countries and the country is buying eggs at a higher price from EU and American nations,’’ said Dr P V Senthil, general secretary of the association.

Already, Oman, Bahrain have allowed poultry egg exports from India by certifying Indian exporters with animal quarantine health certification for each export consignments. ``The same yardstick may be adopted for exports to Qatar,’’ Senthil said.