February 20, 2014

Indian export advisor is hopeful that China may lift the export ban on frozen Indian buffalo meat soon after visits by Chinese trade delegations including government officers to Indian buffalo meat processing plants have been fruitful.

"The visitors were satisfied with the procedures of the Indian meat exporters," Al Faheem Meatex Pvt Export Advisor Anupam Sharma said. Sharma is also a consultant for the Indian Ministry of Food Processing Industries. "It is my personal view that direct export from India to China will start in the next financial year which kicks off in April 2014," he said.

Chinese meat importers have been using Vietnam to channel products into their country, bypassing an official ban on direct imports. According to the Commercial Intelligence and Statistics Indian buffalo meat exports to Vietnam in 2012-13 rose to 330,000 tonnes compared to 273,000 tonnes in 2011-12.