(The following is the English translation of an article published in Shargh Newspaper on Monday, May 27, 2013, Issue No. 1743)
Veterinary Organization: Customs Has Not Responded to Letters
Behind the Scenes of Meat Imports from the South Pole
The auction of returned meat from other countries, left waiting on the water, has tempted some traders into a lucrative business, paving the way for the import of suspicious, frozen meat into the country. A while ago, the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) published a report on the import of red meat from the South Pole. This news prompted a reaction from the Veterinary Organization, the body responsible for the safety of food products entering the country. Mohsen Meshkat, the Deputy for Health and Prevention at the Veterinary Organization, denied the news of meat imports from the Pole, stating: “No permit has been issued for the import of meat from the South Pole.” Meshkat was right, of course. Due to the extreme cold of the South Pole, it is devoid of pastures, and the possibility of raising livestock in this region does not exist. However, the story did not end with the denial from veterinary officials. The media subsequently reported that in the customs tables, meat imports from the South Pole were listed under the origin “Antarctica.” A veterinary news website also published a picture of the customs tables confirming the imports from Antarctica.
As the story continued, officials from the Veterinary Organization, citing the absence of a religious certifier (shar’i supervisor) in that location, saw the solution in denying the import of such a shipment and deeming the customs statistics incorrect. But since food safety is one of the most important issues for public health, a reporter from “Shargh” newspaper pursued this story to the trail of the returned shipments.
“Antarctica” or an Unknown Origin
By visiting the customs information and statistics office, we discovered that the import of goods with an unknown origin is registered in customs tables under the name “Antarctica.” Aside from the issue of how unidentified goods pass through customs gates, the principle of where this meat originated from is also of great importance for its health inspection.
Although no official source was willing to provide information about the origin country of this meat, one of the activists in the red meat trade, who asked not to be named, said: “These are shipments that have been returned from other countries for various health reasons and have been held up on the water. The very low price of this returned meat, which also has a near expiration date, has tempted many to make a profit and has led to the import of these shipments into the country.” Although the words of this trade activist cannot be confirmed, the silence of the officials has caused rumors and speculations of this nature to be heard here and there, and until an official clarification is made, such rumors can affect the public’s psychological security.
What is the Veterinary Organization Doing?
“The fact that we hear news every day about the entry or exit of unauthorized food products raises the question of what the philosophy behind the existence of the Veterinary Organization in the country is.” Kamran Malekpour, a member of the veterinary community, made this point to “Shargh,” saying: “Does the Veterinary Organization, a vast and sprawling apparatus that has deputies and various offices for every single part of the livestock sector and allocates a considerable amount of the budget to itself each year, have any duty other than safeguarding public health?!”
He pointed out: “The news of the export of 14,500 parrots, the import of oysters, snails, meat from an unknown origin, and the declared lack of information by Veterinary Organization officials about the trade of these products, call into question the existence of this organization, which acts passively in many situations.”
Regarding the health of the meat imported from “Antarctica,” Malekpour noted: “Returned meat is generally sent back to the exporting country due to health problems such as high levels of drug residue, the old age of the carcasses, or disease. Although it is possible that the standards of the returning countries are higher than our standards and these products may be acceptable under our country’s health conditions, the probability that the imported meat is below our desired quality and standards is much stronger. In addition, due to the absence of a religious certifier at the time of slaughter of these animals, the possibility of the said meat not being halal also exists.”
Iranpour: The Infiltration of Brokers into the Body of the Government
Ali Iranpour, a member of the parliamentary Agriculture Committee, told “Shargh”: “With the increase in the price of red meat, the ground was prepared for some illegal activities, and in the meantime, a number of brokers, by infiltrating the body of the government, were able to facilitate the conditions for importing low-quality goods into the country.”
He believes: “Unfortunately, in some cases, we are witnessing strange actions by the government regarding red meat imports, of which the import of low-quality meat from India, as well as the shipment arrived from the South Pole, are among these strange government actions in supplying the country’s needs for this protein substance.” Iranpour continued: “There are many ambiguities regarding the import of meat from the South Pole. Questions such as whether there is a religious certifier at that location or not, whether the meat is slaughtered according to religious standards, and whether such meat, on whose slaughter no supervision has been carried out, has the right to enter the country, are among the questions that have remained unanswered in this regard.”
The Minister of Economy Must Answer
He emphasized that “next week we will issue a notice to the Minister of Economy about the import of meat from the South Pole,” adding: “at the first opportunity, we will also summon him to the Agriculture Committee.”
Among the officials of the Veterinary Organization, the Director-General of the Quarantine and International Affairs Office believes in pursuing the matter. He reported sending a letter to customs to clarify these imports and said: “We have not yet received a response to the letter.”
Samad Yeganeh stated: “Customs announces that a certain amount of meat has been imported from the South Pole. But the South Pole has no meat.”
He continued by stating that the customs statistics are not accurate: “This import would be correct in one case, which is if this was done illegally or without the opinion of the veterinary service.” Among the private sector activists in the field of meat imports, few are willing to provide an answer in this area. Some of the stakeholders dismissed the issue altogether. Some other individuals, by feigning ignorance, have shirked the responsibility of answering. But the commercial director of the union of red and white meat importers raised points in this regard that were not very related to the main topic. He believes: “The main origin of this meat is Brazil.” But in reaction to the statistics provided by customs regarding the import of meat from the South Pole, he expressed ignorance.
Among the uninformed individuals, in addition to the officials of the Veterinary Organization, the names of some members of parliament and members of the Agriculture Committee are also seen. Among these individuals is the head of the Agriculture Committee of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, who, in response to the question of whether the import of meat from the South Pole is permissible given the absence of a religious certifier in that location, stated: “I have no information on this matter.” Abbas Rajai, pointing out that this committee is pursuing the issue of meat imports from the South Pole, added: “After the necessary investigations, I will express my opinion in this regard.”
