Maravi

PAZ signs MoU with Malawian body

PAZ signs MoU with Malawian body
By Fridah Zinyama
Monday May 26, 2008 [04:00]

THE Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a sister association in Malawi meant to help reduce smuggling of poultry products into the country. In an interview, PAZ executive manager Mathew Ngosa said the MoU between the poultry associations of Malawi and Zambia would facilitate the generation and dissemination of relevant information in poultry production and in trade.

“Before the signing of the MoU, there used to be rampant illegal trade between the two countries,” he said. “We realised that if this trend continued, our poultry sector would be at risk because of the threats that are associated with illegal trade and other livestock diseases from the other country.”

Ngosa said nipping illegal trade in the bud would help to allow formal trade between the two countries to flourish and for both governments to benefit in terms of revenue.
“The MoU will also allow for free exchange of information among partners and will help to increase integration in the region as the poultry sector is growing very rapidly,” he said. “From such interaction, we are confident that relevant information will be obtained for purposes of national planning.”

Ngosa said PAZ took this initiative to curb livestock diseases which could be imported from other countries.
“Zambia is quite advanced in terms of protecting its poultry sector and with more formal terms in place each country can put in place standards by which its trading partners could abide by,” he said.

“We have gone a long way in protecting our sector and this measure will help more Zambian products to get into a disease free market,” he said.

Last year, there had been a reduction in the number of poultry products being smuggled into Eastern Province, after stakeholders held awareness campaigns meant to disseminate information about the dangers of illegal trade.

Labels: MALAWI, MoU, PAZ, POULTRY

posted by MrK @ 3:43 AM