Halal licences to counter smuggling

A Malaysian meat body is calling on the Government to reinstate halal licences to New Zealand meat plants to combat rising volumes of contraband offal being smuggled into that country.

The Malaysian Meat Importers Association said offal such as lung, spleen, liver, tripe, tail, stomach, and tongue were being smuggled into Malaysia from places such as Thailand, Singapore, South America and China.

An association spokesman said he met the Veterinary Services Department last week as "we want the Government to re-look and expedite the approval for the Australian and New Zealand abattoirs to enable them to supply us their products as this will curb the smuggling activities".

Last July, several New Zealand meatworks and some of their products were removed from an official list of premises from which Malaysia will accept meat, in line with similar actions in Australia.

One beef plant has since been re-certified for export to Malaysia and all except one of the previously certified sheepmeat plants have been re-certified.

- NZPA