DRAP Urged To Enlist Poultry Products Swiftly

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Jan, 2017 ) : Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Monday urged Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to expedite enlistment process of poultry products and remove undue sanctions on poultry medicines as it could cause poultry medicines' shortage in the market.

Talking to a delegation of poultry industry, led by Shahid Iqbal and Dr Ghulam Mahboob here, LCCI President Abdul Basit said poultry was one of the biggest employment providers and source of revenue to the national exchequer, but it was facing difficulty due slow process of enlistment of products.

Abdul Basit said there should be some difference while dealing with drugs for human beings and cattle-heads, complaning both were being treated in the same way. Consignments of veterinary medicines were held at ports because of inappropriate rules and regulations, causing huge damage to importers.

The delegation informed the LCCI president that so far only limited number of companies had been issued Form No 6 (Enlistment as Local Importers/ Agents) while none of companies/importers had been issued Form 7 for enlistment of products.

They said the provincial drug authority and local representatives of DRAP were regulating sale of these products and requiring Form No 6 and 7 from importers and warranties from traders.

They said documentation for human and veterinary, poultry alternative and health products had same requirements for enlistment as per the SRO 412 (1); however, the nature and use of poultry products was different from those for human consumption, citing that poultry products were regulated differently in the European Union and the USA.

Current regulation to enlist importer and products, they said, was creating a crisis leading to shortage of these basic products used by poultry farmers, and these products were exclusively used by poultry farmers and there was no misuse by humans.

Abdul Basit suggested that poultry alternative medicine and health products, which had already been legally imported, may be allowed to be sold. Companies with Form No 6, whose consignments were at port/in pipeline, may be allowed to get them cleared and sold in the market, he asserted.

He said criteria/documentation for enlistment of veterinary/ poultry products be formulated according to their country of origin and international practices. The LCCI president hoped that DRAP would act promptly and rescue poultry industry through relief measures.