June 3, 2013
Myanmar reports more cattle smuggling to China and Thailand
More cows are being smuggled out of Myanmar to neighbouring countries, such as China and Thailand, according to official figures from Myanmar's law enforcement.
The local police said it made several arrests recently due to a rise in smuggling, after China recently suspended beef imports from Myanmar.
"The flow of traffic in cows is going up. Legal exports are relatively lower. We have laws to restrict butchering the cows according to age. The time for border trading of cows has ceased," said Dr Than Hla, an adviser for Myanmar Livestock Federation.
Beef, including those from cows used for ploughing, is running short in supply. Butchers have also abused their licenses to slaughter more cattle than they're officially allowed to, sources say.
Although the country is in the process of changing from manual agriculture to a more high-tech farming, most areas still rely on cows for their agricultural work. The illegal trade of the cattle should be cracked down more strictly, an official from the federation said.
