County News
Saudi Arabia lifts ban on livestock from Somalia
Livestock from Somalia can now be shipped to Saudi Arabia, (Courtesy)
MOGADISHU—Saudi Arabia has lifted the ban on Somali livestock imports, official confirmed.
Saudi Arabia, formerly the biggest buyer of Somali livestock, lifted the two-year ban this week to secure meat supplies from Somalia, according to Somali ministry for Livestock.
Somalia’s livestock minister Sheikh Noor Mohamed Hassan has welcomed the news, state-run Radio Mogadishu reported.
The export of sheep, goats and cattle is a mainstay of Somalia’s economy and Saudi Arabia had been a major market.
Saudi Arabia banned the Somali livestock imports in September 2016 following reports of an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in the Horn of Africa country.
“Saudi officials realised that the Somali livestock were healthy,” said Mr Hassan.
The Middle East is the main export destination with other Asian countries accounting for very small portions of the trade.
“Lifting of the ban is most welcome news in our village, merchants are coming to our villages and even in the remote areas to buy sheep and goats,” said Muhumad Soomane, a farmer in Wallaweyn, 90 km southwest of Mogadishu.
The semiautonomous Puntland region in the northeast is expected to contribute 60 percent of the livestock heading to the Middle East market.
Somalia has had no central government for over 20 years and livestock exports, along with bananas and fish, are the mainstay of its trade with the Middle East.
The minister confirmed that export would soon resume.
“Up to 1.1 million goats will be exported to Saudi Arabia prior to this year’s Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca about two months from now),” stated Mr Hassan.
“My ministry is going to secure other export markets for our livestock,” Mr Hassan added, without indicating the new destinations.
