Fish, prawns and chicken meat are being smuggled over the border in shipping containers from Thailand, according to a letter of complaint from the Kayin State Fisheries Association to the Myanmar Livestock Federation (MLF).
“Prices of chicken and fish are high in Myanmar but prices outside of the country are low. There are containers coming in with such illegal products, but we don’t know how,” said U Win Sein, chairman of MLF.
According to U Win Kyaing, general secretary of Myanmar Fisheries Association, said low quality fish that are not eaten in Thailand are often brought over the border to Myanmar, so this meat is often very cheap, but unhygienic.
The MFA has called for hygiene inspection of meat and fish imports, but has largely failed to control the widespread smuggling.
However, there have been some arrests by the Illegal Trade Control Department and Department of Consumer Protection.
“We need to introduce health certificates to ensure safety of imported meat and fish. Our economy will suffer if the livestock sector is hit by cheap and low quality imports,” U Win Kyaing said.
