Trade relations between Colombia and Venezuela continue to recover with Venezuela reopening its market to its neigbor’s cattle and frozen meat, reported local media Wednesday.
The Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) reported that Colombia has already exported 300 live cattle to Venezuela this month and that it expects numbers to recover to the pre-trade block level of 105,805 animals a year in 2012.
Trade difficulties between the two countries began in 2009 when Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ordered the suspension of imports from Colombia in retaliation for its neighbor signing a military agreement with the United States. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez eventually broke off all diplomatic relations in 2010 after then-Colombian President Alvaro Uribe accused Venezuela of sheltering FARC leaders.
After the U.S., Venezuela has traditionally been the second-most important market for Colombian exporters. Colombia’s current president Juan Manuel Santos has worked to restore relations with Chavez and trade levels have been slowly recovering.
All Venezuelan/Colombian bovine trades will be governed by a certificate drawn up by the ICA in conjunction with the National Institute of Integral Agricultural Health of Venezuela (INSAI). The certificate will be valid for three years and sets out requirements that ensure that proof of origin and sanitation are provided for all exported animals.
