The National Committee for Import and Export has issued a decision to reduce customs duties on imported livestock, including camels, cattle, and sheep.

According to a statement the committee published today, Tuesday 2 December, on its Facebook page, the decision introduces the following amendments to customs fees:

• Reducing the fee for importing cows and calves to 7 US dollars per head, down from 53 dollars previously.
• Reducing the fee for importing camels to 7 dollars per head, down from 27 dollars previously.
• Reducing the fee for importing sheep and goats to 2 dollars per head, down from 7 dollars previously.

The committee said the decision aims to support the livestock sector and encourage regular imports.

The General Customs Administration is required to circulate the decision to all customs offices at land, sea, and air border crossings and to begin implementing it as of the date of issuance, according to the committee.

Supplying the local herd with new stock

In previous remarks to Enab Baladi, Abdul Hay al-Yousef, Director of the Animal Health and Production Directorate at the Ministry of Agriculture, said that importing calves is intended to supply the local herd with new stock capable of production, contributing to food security in Syria and stimulating the animal wealth economy.

Al-Yousef explained that there is a shortage of red meat in Syria, especially veal, so the decision is not expected to have a negative impact on the domestic market. Syria also needs to bring in a new herd, he added, noting that this herd could later, after being fattened, be used for export.

Regarding logistical challenges, he pointed to shipping companies that do not call at Syrian seaports because of sanctions.

Transboundary diseases

Transboundary diseases are highly contagious, fast-spreading diseases that can cross national borders. They may be zoonotic diseases that affect livestock and threaten food security and the economy, plant diseases that damage crops, or diseases that affect humans and spread through vectors or environmental pathways.

These diseases require global coordination and international cooperation for surveillance and prevention, as in the efforts led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

What is the National Committee for Import and Export?

Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, issued Decree No. 263 establishing the “National Committee for Import and Export.”

The committee is tasked with the following:

• Studying and approving proposals to allow or ban the entry of goods and products into Syria.
• Approving the addition or removal of items to and from the negative list for import and export.
• Issuing interpretive decisions related to economic policy on imports and exports.

According to the decree, which the General Authority for Land and Sea Border Crossings published on its Facebook page on 24 November, the committee is composed of:

• The head of the General Authority for Border Crossings and Customs, as chair.
• The Deputy Minister of Finance, as a member.
• The Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry for Industrial Affairs, as a member.
• The Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry for Trade Affairs, as a member.
• The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, as a member.
• The Deputy Minister of Local Administration and Environment for Environmental Affairs, as a member.
• The Director General of Customs, as a member.

The decree authorizes the committee to invite experts or representatives of relevant bodies to attend its meetings, without granting them voting rights.