Cairo: Saudi Arabia has imported 1.7 million heads of cattle in the past two months due to increasing demand for meat during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the upcoming annual Hajj pilgrimage season, the kingdom’s Ministry of Agriculture has disclosed.
Ramadan, which started in the kingdom Monday, is traditionally associated with big family gatherings for the Iftar meal at the end of day-long fasting.
Saudi Arabia has, meanwhile, started early preparations for the Hajj season due to this year in June and expected to be attended by around 2 million Muslims from around the world.
Expecting a further rise in imports, the ministry said it is coordinating efforts with competent agencies to secure the required numbers of healthy livestock during the season to meet local needs.
The livestock, the ministry explained, are imported from Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, South Africa, Bahrain, Oman, Georgia, Romania, Bulgaria, Australia and Brazil. Imports have recently resumed from the UAE, Qatar and Jordan, it added.
Regulations and health rules for imports are updated according to the epidemiological situation in the exporting countries to ensure safety of the imported livestock.
The decision to clear a shipment entry or its return to the original country is based on checks and lab tests carried out on the imported cattle. That said, around 62,465 heads of cattle were rejected and turned back by Saudi authorities last year, according to the ministry.
There are 10 animal and plant quarries at the Saudi border points where imported cattle are kept until related procedures and implementing a vaccination programme are conducted.
The ministry said it encourages local cattle breeders and importers to provide adequate numbers of livestock to meet the local needs at reasonable prices and help stabilise the market.
