Wholesalers want ban on imported canned pork lifted
SIBU: Wholesalers are facing depleting supplies of canned pork, and want the state government to lift the ban on import of canned pork as soon as possible.
President of Sibu Chamber of Importers Exporters And Wholesalers, Kong Ket Dee, and several members met with a political secretary to chief minister Michael Tiang yesterday in trying to resolve the problem.
Kong believed the state government could lift the ban since the ban in Sarawak was only imposed last October; about a year after the ban was enforced by the federal government.
The ban was imposed by the federal government following the outbreak of African Swine Fever in 2018.
“That shows we have the authority to do that (lift ban), so I hope the government will have a different view now,” he told Tiang at the meeting.
He added the chamber had met with the relevant authorities in the federal level, but so far there has been no outcome.
He said those in the business were willing to abide by any kind of certification ‘to stay in the business’.
“In fact, we have been following all the required certification all these while whenever we imported canned pork from China,” he said, adding that the last shipment to Sarawak was made before the ban, and all products were certified safe.
He assured the government that wholesalers were not focusing on business only.
They also owe a service to the community by supplying them safe food products.
“We are confident that the canned food are safe,” he said, adding that neighbouring countries were not imposing the ban.
Kong said according to Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing, China, as long as the pork is being handled beyond 61 Degree Celsius, it is safe for consumption.
“For canned food, they have to be processed more than 121 Degree Celsius. So, it is definitely safe and beyond the minimum requirement,” he said.
Tiang, meanwhile, said he would bring the matter to the attention of the relevant authorities in Kuching on Monday.