Meat is checked insufficiently well: Agriculture Minister

Most of the meat supplied to Kazakhstan's market is not duly checked and poses a threat to the people's health, KazTAG reports citing Kazakhstan Agriculture Minister Assylzhan Mamytbekov. "The permits issued by the slaughter houses in any region of the oblast have to be re-certified when the meat is supplied to the markets. These are additional barriers. Strange enough, but store do not require these document when the meat is supplied to them," Mamytbekov said on February 24 at the meeting on countering corruption in agricultural realm. He explained that issued permits for meat supplies are valid only at the territory of the regional center. The entrepreneurs supplying meat outside the regional center have to undergo the paid check again. Some time ago a decision was made to cancel additional control measures at the markets where meat is supplied. "The checks held at markets are made for proforma only. Because there are no labs at the markets and no lab checks are made but the entrepreneurs still have to pay for them," the Minister stressed. Speaking of the labs eligible to make the checks on meat he said: "Of course, the labs are private, but they are certified by local executive bodies that have to monitor their work." According to Mamytbekov, meat for childcare centers are frequently bought at markets. "When a market issues permits for sale of goods to kindergartens and other children's institutions, not speaking of the adults, of course, it poses a threat to the people's health," the Minister said. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the meat is bought from farmers at 600 tenge ($4) per 1 kilo. It the areas that have slaughter houses with modern infrastructure it is bought for at least 1,000 tenge ($7) per 1 kilo. "These slaughter points are eliminating many extra middlemen," Mamytbekov said.