On the 24th October I went to Newmarket to meet Louise Kemble, the Chief Executive of the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association and Jimmy George, the Marketing Director of Tatterstalls Racehorse Auctioneers to discuss the Indian export ban on British horses.
This ban has been in place for the last five years following a case of Contagious Equine Metritis which is a disease that can affect fertility, there have been very few cases in the UK and most of these have been reported in non-thoroughbred horses. India is demanding a three year period with no reported cases of the disease before it will re-commence trade. This will have a very negative effect on the thoroughbred breeders' export market in the UK. It is estimated that this ban resulted in a loss of £1million in sales last year alone and that the losses over the entire ban period, which will be at least another two sale periods, are likely to be up to £10 million. This is, of course, a large concern to many people in my constituency because breeding horses is an important source of business.
I have been working closely with DEFRA on this issue and it was raised at a meeting of the World Trade Organisation's Committee on Animal Welfare which took place in Geneva on the 11th October. The Indian Government have been asked to provide specific scientific evidence to justify a ban and to treat all EU countries alike as not all EU countries have been subject to the same restrictions. As I have said, I believe 'our racehorses are among the best in the world and there is no justified reason for this ban,' as such I will continue speaking to Indian officials and working with DEFRA and the WTO to get a response from India and start to work towards lifting this trade ban.
For further information on my visit view the Press Release or to see more pictures from my visit please go to my Gallery.
