AFGHANISTAN ADVOCACY SUCCESS STORY: U.S. POULTRY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001345 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SA/FO, SA/A, EB/TPP NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND CJTF-76 FOR POLAD, CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A COMMERCE FOR AADLER, SHAMROCK, JNELHYBEL ISLAMABAD FOR AG ATTACHE HANDERSON USDA FOR FAS - WILLIAM BRANT SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O.12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD EINV EFIN PREL OPIC EAID PGOV AF SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN ADVOCACY SUCCESS STORY: U.S. POULTRY IMPORTER OVERCOMES AI SCARE WITH EMBASSY SUPPORT REF: KABUL 0938 ¶1. (U) Summary: In the wake of Afghanistans first confirmed case of Avian Influenza, Summit Associates, an American company that imports U.S. frozen chicken and eggs, requested Embassy advocacy to intervene with customs officials blocking Summit containers from entering the country and to help lobby GOA authorities against a possible all-out imported poultry ban. Embassy advocacy with senior GOA officials in Kabul and Herat, including the Minister of Agriculture, got Summits product cleared. While Summits troubles have eased for now, widespread Afghan misunderstanding and fear about the nature of AI will require continued Embassy vigilance. End summary. ¶2. (U) On March 12, Econoff was contacted by the owner of Summit Associates, a Long Island based company that imports U.S. frozen chicken and eggs from Arkansas to Afghanistan via Pakistan and Iran (reftel.) Customs officials in Herat had refused to clear a shipment of ten containers of Summit product, which was still sitting at the border. Summit was concerned that the GOA would soon institute a total ban on n imported poultry products in a misguided attempt to prevent the spread of AI. Summit requested immediate Embassy advocacy to help clear its shipment in Herat and to arrange meetings with senior GOA officials to provide them information about USG export policies that prevent the export of contaminated product. ¶3. (U) A March 12 Ministry of Finance decree (based on a decision by the National Committee for AI) banned poultry imports from Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, China and India but allowed continued imports of poultry products from AI free countries such as the United States, Brazil and Australia on a trial basis. Embassy contacted Herat Customs to request immediate clearance based on this decree. The shipments were cleared on March 14 thanks to intervention by the USAID-funded Bearing Point Customs Advisor based in Herat. ¶4. (U) On March 18 Econ Section arranged for and attended meetings with Summit management and Deputy Director of �A;Customs Sayed Merjan Moshef, Deputy Minister of Commerce Ziauddin Zia, Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Health Dr. Abdullah Fahim and Minister of Agriculture Obaidullah Ramin. In each meeting, Summit explained that its products are subject to stringent US health and safety requirements and certified disease-free by USDA health inspectors before shipment. ¶5. (SBU) All GOA officials acknowledged that the U.S. is AI free and that, as poultry products are a cheap and economical source of protein for the population, a total ban would be counterproductive. The Ministry of Health provided Embassy an advance copy of a March 19 letter from the Minister of Health to the Minister of Commerce supporting continued import of poultry products from AI free countries. Deputy Minister Zia acknowledged the importance of Summits USD 1 million investment to the country and promised to weigh in on the economic impact of a total ban with the National Committee. The Deputy Director of Customs promised to speak with Herat Customs about properly enforcing the existing regulations. ¶6. (SBU) Minister Ramin was less sympathetic to Summits plight, hinting that the GOA may politically have no choice but to institute a total ban as uninformed and widespread KABUL 00001345 002 OF 002 concern among the Afghan population creates pressure for the GOA to take bold measures. Ramin noted that the decision would not be his alone and offered to arrange for Summit to address the National Committee on AI. ¶7. (SBU) On March 20, Econoff accompanied Summit to Herat for a meeting with the Director of Herat Customs to request that future shipments are properly cleared in accordance with the GOAs decree. With the assistance of Herat PRTOff and Bearing Point Customs Advisor, Econoff secured assurances that Summits shipment would not only be cleared, but processed immediately at the Islam Qalah border crossing rather than in Herat proper (Note: The 120 kilometer distance between the two points often results additional bureaucratic delays and additional fees. fees. End note.) Fifteen containers were cleared at Islam Qalah on March 25 without incident. ¶8. (SBU) Comment: Direct and timely post intervention, up to the level of the Minister of Agriculture, was effective in resolving Summits immediate concern. In an effort to prevent a politically motivated total ban on poultry imports, we will continue to work with Summit to raise GOA awareness of measures in place to prevent AI from entering the country through U.S. poultry imports. Summit has offered to fund technical advisors from USDA and the U.S. Poultry and Egg Export Council to provide training on these issues. Misinformation among the local populace, however, is another matter. While in Herat, Econoff learned that local mullahs have issued fatwahs against eating chicken. Summit may face tough times ahead. Norland