Galicia's Call for Dialogue on Livestock Export Challenges
In a recent development, the Xunta de Galicia has formally requested that Minister Luis Planas engage in dialogue to address the pressing issue surrounding the exportation of live cattle to Morocco. This appeal comes in light of mounting concerns voiced by the Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers (UPA), who have highlighted significant supply and demand tensions within the beef sector due to the suspension of these critical exports.
During a visit to the Agropecuaria Central of Silleda, where the usual Tuesday livestock market takes place, María José Gómez, the Minister of Rural Affairs, emphasized the urgency of reopening communication channels with Morocco, a vital market for Spanish livestock. The situation has been exacerbated by Morocco's closure of its border with Spain as a response to the outbreak of contagious nodular dermatitis (DNC).
Despite no new cases of DNC being reported since March, particularly in regions like Catalonia and Aragon, Gómez advocates for the immediate relaxation of restrictions to facilitate the resumption of cattle sales. This step is crucial for Galician producers, as it will help stabilize prices and ensure the profitability of their operations.
Minister Gómez pointed out that the Ministry of Agriculture, led by Luis Planas, had previously established similar negotiation channels with China in response to the African swine fever crisis affecting Spain. This precedent underscores the necessity for comparable arrangements with Morocco to ensure that Galician livestock can access commercial opportunities in North Africa.
Additionally, Gómez addressed further requests made to the Ministry regarding DNC, such as the need for improved coordination and communication between autonomous communities to tackle this issue effectively, as well as the inclusion of the disease in insurance policies. She reiterated the call for the central government to take the lead in developing an authorized vaccine before the European Union and to downgrade the disease's classification from Category A to prevent unnecessary sanitary evacuations in the event of an outbreak.
These critical requests have already been conveyed to the European Commissioner for Animal Health during a meeting held in Brussels, emphasizing the urgency and importance of this matter for the agricultural sector in Galicia.
As reported by animalshealth.es.
