Cattle Exports to Turkey Resume

According to information received by the relevant Hungarian authority, Turkey is to revoke its ban on livestock imports from Hungary. The Turkish party has accepted the Hungarian authority's package of measures and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Industry and Animal Husbandry will be lifting the temporary ban on the transport of live animals, meaning that exports may now continue after the relevant quotas are distributed. Businesses who deal in exports will also receive notification when the ban is lifted.

In future, Hungarian companies will dispatch their shipments from predetermined depots, where the condition, ear tags and documents of loaded livestock will be inspected with the help of both Hungarian and Turkish veterinarians.

The Turkish authorities temporarily suspended the import of Hungarian cattle last December, citing technical objections. The Ministry of Rural Development immediately contacted the Turkish authorities, and Deputy State Secretary Lajos Bognár travelled to Ankara at once to clarify the issue. Minister for Rural Development Sándor Fazekas ordered the tighter monitoring of animal shipments, and prepared a package of measures, a copy of which was also sent to the relative Turkish Ministry.

Thanks to successful discussions on the issue, not only will the export of livestock destined for the slaughterhouse now resume, but the export of sheep and goats intended for breeding to Turkey will also begin.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)