Dubai: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has announced the implementation of a comprehensive plan for the Eid Al Adha season to ensure necessary supplies, technical and diagnostic resources. Specialised personnel will be deployed to inspect animals and sacrificial offerings to ensure they are healthy and disease-free.
This announcement was made during an inspection campaign conducted by Marwan Abdullah Al Zaabi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Regions Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. The inspection covered several sites, including the Al Hamriya Port Centre for Agricultural and Veterinary Quarantine, Dubai cattle market, Dubai Abattoir, and the Sharjah Airport Centre for Agricultural and Veterinary Quarantine. The campaign involved visiting Abu Dhabi, northern and eastern regions as well.
Al Zaabi stated that the ministry is implementing an integrated plan as part of its strategy to achieve national food security and ensure the availability and safety of food supplies for all consumers, in light of the approaching Eid Al Adha,. This plan aims to enhance control and inspection procedures, ensuring the safety of sacrificial animals and those prepared for consumption during the ongoing season. This is conducted within the governance framework of veterinary quarantine procedures to bolster public health and livestock safety in the UAE.
Al Zaabi said: “We inspect the slaughterhouses and various facilities involved in raising of livestock to ensure these facilities comply with the highest international standards for handling sacrificial animals. It is critical that all safety measures and regulations are followed in line with the country’s regulations in this regard. Additionally, we work at all UAE borders to implement the necessary procedures for permitting the entry of sacrificial and live animals through the country’s various ports. We execute this through a highly sophisticated coordination mechanism that functions all year round, exercising extra caution during the Eid Al Adha season. Furthermore, we ensure the provision of advanced and rapid services to all customers.”
He added: “Recently, there has been an increase in livestock imports to meet the demand for sacrificial animals. Various consignments of live animals have arrived through the country’s ports, and additional shipments are expected in the coming days to meet the growing need during the Eid Al Adha season.”
The ministry has reported that from the beginning of this year until June, 592,577 heads of sheep, goats, cows, and camels have entered the UAE through various ports of entry. These animals were approved for entry after undergoing veterinary quarantine procedures and clinical and laboratory examinations to ensure they were free of infectious, epidemic, and common animal diseases. This figure represents an increase of 66.7 per cent from the 325,524 heads of livestock received during the same period last year.
In preparation for the Eid Al Adha season, the ministry has established a proactive ecosystem to manage the increased influx and trading of live animals in the UAE. This system incorporates mechanisms for analysing data regarding the demand for import services, extending operational hours within veterinary quarantine centres, adding to the number of veterinarians and laboratory technicians, and ensuring an adequate supply of laboratory testing materials is available. Furthermore, the Ministry has devised alternative procedures to expedite and streamline service delivery while upholding the highest quality standards.
