BANGKOK: The Department of Livestock Development and the Nakhon Phanom Provincial Administration will hold talks with Laos and Vietnam to urge them to lift the ban on Thai cattle imports, following the containment of an anthrax outbreak in Thailand.
Officials plan to assure both countries that the situation is under control and the disease has been eradicated.
The import ban was imposed after Thailand confirmed an anthrax outbreak in Mukdahan province on April 30, which resulted in one fatality and three other infections. In response, both Vietnam and Laos halted imports of Thai cattle to prevent the potential spread of the disease
However, the Mukdahan Public Health Office declared the outbreak over on May 7, stating there were no new reported cases.
On Monday, the Nakhon Phanom Livestock Office and the provincial administration expressed concern that the ban could lead to a monthly loss of up to 500 million baht in revenue from live cattle exports. They reported that approximately 10,000 live cattle were exported monthly to Laos and Vietnam via the Third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge prior to the ban.
In the two months leading up to the outbreak, between 10,000 to 15,000 cattle were exported monthly, with each cow priced between 50,000 and 80,000 baht, generating 300 to 500 million baht in revenue per month.
The Department of Livestock Development stated it would strengthen cattle farming standards in northeastern provinces to improve meat quality and prevent future disease outbreaks, ensuring export continuity and international confidence in Thai livestock. - The Nation/ANN
