December 31, 2014
Russia declares Kazakhstan FMD-free, lifts meat import ban
Kazakhstan said Russia had lifted a ban on meat imports from the country, which was imposed due to foot-and-mouth (FMD) disease.
In announcing the end of the ban, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture said it had received the report of Rosselkhoznadzor (the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance) declaring the territory of Kazakhstan free of the FMD disease.
A few years ago, a buffer zone covering Almaty, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda, South Kazakhstan and East Kazakhstan regions was created to make the transport of livestock products within the Customs Union safe. Thus, the export of meat and transportation of animals from these regions to other areas of the republic and Russia were banned.
In August 2014, because of measures from the Kazakh side and cooperation with Rosselkhoznadzor, restrictions on the export of meat from the East Kazakhstan region were lifted and the importation of animal products to Russia was allowed.
The latest announcement lifts the ban on meat exports from the rest of the regions in Kazakhstan.
The ministry of agriculture of Kazakhstan has also submitted two applications to the Office International des Epizooties [World Organisation for Animal Health] seeking the status of a zone free from FMD disease. It is expected that the republic will receive the status of FMD-free country at the next OIE Assembly in May 2015. This will allow Kazakhstan to export animal products to the EU and the WTO countries.