2024-09-06 19:39:33
Former President of the Chamber of Agriculture, Rodrigo Gómez de la Torre, outlined the potential negative economic impacts that the draft Organic Law for the Protection, Welfare and Defense of Non-Human Animals in Ecuador would bring, if it were to be approved.
He criticised the lack of participation of technical and productive sectors in the development of the project, arguing that it was done unilaterally and with a strong ideological burden.
Although the bill was prompted by the Constitutional Court’s ruling in the Mona Estrellita case, which recognizes the rights of wild animals, he says the proposed law goes much further, imposing regulations that could significantly increase the cost of producing food and other animal-derived products.
Among the most controversial points, Gómez de la Torre highlighted the prohibition of the use of technology to increase productivity, which, according to him, could triple the production costs of meat, milk, eggs, chicken and pork.
He also warned against banning the use of poisons for pest control and antimicrobials for animals, which could have serious consequences for public health and food safety.
He mentioned that the ban on the use of leather, fur and wool would drastically affect the textile and footwear industry, as well as artisans in communities such as Otavalo and Cotacachi. He also spoke of repercussions for tourism, with the ban on traditional activities such as horseback riding.
In economic terms, he estimated that the agri-food chain represents 22% of Ecuador’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and that the bill could put at risk or significantly increase the cost of 11% of GDP. This, in turn, would impact more than 1.5 million people directly linked to the animal protein production sector.
Finally, he called on citizens and authorities to consider the adverse effects that this law could have on the country’s economy and traditional ways of life, urging a more technical and less ideological review of the proposal.