Malaysia May Overturn Rejection Of NZ Halal Beef
MALAYSIA - Malaysia may be set to yield on its high-profile rejection of halal beef killed in New Zealand with a technique known as 'thoracic sticking'
17 April 2007
1 minute read
Malaysia's Agriculture Minister Tan Yassin, who visited his New Zealand counterpart Jim Anderton in Wellington yesterday, has told a Malaysian news agency his country is prepared to review bans on New Zealand halal meat.
Malaysia suspended the import of some NZ meat products in 2005 because of thoracic sticking and electric immobilisation used during slaughter - which it claimed was in violation of halal procedures.
Thoracic sticking involves a knife cut in which the major blood vessels to the heart are cut to speed-up death in big animals.
An inspection team from Malaysia will visit seven beef abattoirs in New Zealand over the next fortnight.
Malaysia exported $26 million in agricultural products to New Zealand last year - compared to imports from this country of $299 million
Source: TV3
