The sector organization Vee&Logistiek Nederland reports that the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has too few inspectors available to cope with the increasing livestock export.
Henk Bleker, chairman of Vee&Logistiek Nederland, reports that the capacity of the NVWA has been faltering since last week. Bleker: 'Exporters are told at the last minute that an export cannot go ahead because the NVWA does not have enough people available for the inspections. We will discuss this with them, because of course that is not possible. The sector has to remove more livestock under pressure from government policy, then it cannot be the case that a government agency has too little capacity.'
The NVWA confirms that capacity is critical during peak periods. A spokesperson says that in most cases the inspections could continue, but often a lot later than previously agreed. The NVWA says that the problems mainly occurred during the broken working weeks.
Fear of fines
Postponement of transport, because inspectors do not show up, is not only annoying for the exporters who arrange this. This is also a major problem for livestock farmers. This is because, in the context of the phosphate reduction plan, it can lead to fines. If, as a result, insufficient livestock has left the company for the set reduction periods.
Livestock exporters and traders are in their heyday. The supply and demand for cattle remains high. Dairy farmers have to significantly reduce their livestock in order to comply with the phosphate reduction plan. At the same time, the demand from Germany and Belgium for beef cattle is very high.
In consultation
The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Association has announced that it is in consultation with Vee&Logistiek Nederland on how they can solve the problems. The NVWA says it is working on a new planning system, which will make it possible to work a lot more efficiently. They want to discuss this system with the trade association in mid-May.
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