Die RPO aanvaar die hofuitspraak wat gister in Oos-Londen gelewer is dat die Al Messilah skip nou gelaai kan word met skape uit die Castedale voerkraal vir vervoer na Kuwait mits dit volgens die riglyne van die internasionale dieregesondheids organisasie (OIE) gedoen word.
“Die uitspraak is in ooreenstemming met die hofversoek van die Rooivleisbedryfsforum se regsverteenwoordigers waarvan die Rooivleisprodusente-organisasie (RPO) deel is” sê mnr Koos van der Ryst, Voorsitter van die RPO.
Die RPO se strategiese plan onderskryf die uitbou van internasionale handel en die uitvoer van lewendehawe per skip vorm deel daarvan mits daar voldoen word aan dierewelsynsmaatreëls volgens die OIE.
Dit is duidelik dat die hof tevrede is met die besending en daar rus nou ‘n verantwoordelikheid op die Departement van Landbou om volgens die OIE-riglyne toe te sien dat die verskeping plaasvind en dat die Departement die eedverklaring soos voorgeskryf in die hofuitspraak sal afteken.
Hierdie spesifieke hofuitspraak het gehandel oor die spesifieke vaart van die Al Messilah en die opvolghofsaak sal handel oor toekomstige verskeping van lewendehawe per skip vir slagdoeleindes. Dit sal in ‘n latere stadium voor die hof dien.
“Dit is krities noodsaaklik dat ons sal verseker dat die handel in lewendehawe sal voortgaan maar dit is net so noodsaaklik dat ons sal toesien dat hoë standaarde van dierewelsyn gehandhaaf sal word”.
“Die RPO is opgewonde oor die moontlikhede van handel in lewendehawe en tot soveel as 300 000 kleinvee kan jaarliks aan die Midde-Ooste verhandel word. Dit kan vir ons kommersiële en opkomende kleinveeprodusente baie beteken. Daar is ook potensiële markte in grootvee, aldus Mnr van der Ryst.”
Die RPO is van mening dat sou die tweede hofuitspraak ten gunste van handel en lewendehawe per skip wees, iets waarvoor die RPO sal beding, ‘n taakspan op die been gebring moet word om die Departement van Landbou te ondersteun om ‘n protokol te finaliseer volgens die OIE se riglyne.
Dit sal ‘n spanpoging tussen die Nasionale en Provinsiale Departemente van Landbou sowel as die bedryf moet wees. Selfregulering met ‘n sterk klem op dierewelsyn sal noodsaaklik wees.
Die RPO het nog altyd as deel van die uitrol van sy strategiese plan vryemarkbeginsels en uitsonderlike dierewelsynsmaatreëls ondersteun.
RPO SATISFIED WITH COURT VERDICT
The RPO accepts the court verdict delivered in East London yesterday which entails that the Al Messilah ship are now allowed to be loaded with sheep from the Castedale feedlot for transportation to Kuwait, provided that it will be done in accordance to the guidelines of the international animal health organisation, the OIE.
“The verdict is in accordance with the court request of the Red Meat Industry Forum’s legal representatives, of which the RPO forms part”, said Mr Koos van der Ryst, chairman of the RPO.
The RPO’s strategic plan underwrites the extension of international trade and the exportation of livestock by ship are part of this, provided that animal welfare requirements as outlined by the OIE are met.
It is clear that the court is satisfied with the consignment and the Department of Agriculture are now responsible to ensure that shipping does take place according to the OIE-guidelines and the Department will have to sign off with an affidavit as determined in the court verdict.
This specific court verdict dealt with this specific shipment of the Al Messilah and the follow-up court verdict on the future shipping of livestock by sea for slaughter purposes will serve at a later stage before the court.
“It is of critical importance that we ensure that the trade in livestock continues, but is of equal importance that we will see to it that high standards of animal welfare are maintained”.
“The RPO is excited about the possibilities of trade in livestock and as much as 300 000 small stock can annually be traded to the Middle East. This can mean a lot to our commercial and emerging small stock producers. There are also potential markets for cattle”, said Mr van der Ryst.
The RPO is of the opinion that should the second court verdict be in favour of trade and the exportation of livestock by ship, something the RPO will argue for, a task force must be established to support the Department of Agriculture to finalise a protocol according to the OIE’s guidelines.
It will have to be a team effort between the national and provincial departments of agriculture as well as the industry. Self-regulation with special emphasis on animal welfare will be imperative.
The RPO has always supported free market principals and excellent animal welfare measures as part of the roll-out of its strategic plan.
