Khaberni - The head of the Agricultural Engineers, Engineer Ali Abu Nuqta, warned of the dangers of transferring the powdered milk file from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply, considering this decision carries serious implications for the local dairy sector and the national food security system.
Abu Nuqta said during a meeting with representatives of the cattle breeding sector and dairy and cheese factories, in the presence of the deputy head Engineer Shadi Al-Qaisi and members of the syndicate's council, “Transferring the powdered milk file to the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Commerce represents a step towards legalizing its use in the production of fresh dairy and cheeses instead of local milk,” confirming that such a measure threatens national production and undermines efforts to protect farmers and consumers, in his opinion.
He clarified that the Ministry of Agriculture is technically the most capable body to manage the file, due to its expertise and technical capabilities that enable achieving market balance and ensuring the safety of local production, pointing out that the justifications circulated for transferring the file are "not accurate" from both technical and economic aspects.
Abu Nuqta indicated that the powdered milk file was referred to the Ministry of Agriculture in 2010 after a series of violations that occurred when it was under the supervision of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, noting that the specialized technical committee in the ministry, which includes various concerned parties, has succeeded over the past years in reducing commercial fraud and ensuring transparency in the mixing proportions between fresh and powdered milk.
He warned that transferring the file outside the Ministry of Agriculture will have broad negative repercussions, the most significant of which are harming cattle breeders due to decreased demand for fresh milk, in addition to losing thousands of job opportunities in the livestock sector and related industries, and an increased likelihood of commercial fraud and a decline in the quality of the national product and loss of confidence of consumers and international markets.
Abu Nuqta confirmed that “weakening technical oversight will lead to a disruption in the national food security system and increase reliance on imports instead of local production,” calling for maintaining the management of the file within the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture to preserve the strict technical standards and protect the national industry from decline.
