KHARTOUM, April 7 (NNN-SUNA) — Sudan’s Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries announced the resumption of livestock exports to Saudi Arabia after renewing the protocol with the Saudi Ministry of Animal Resources, Agriculture and Environment in the field of health requirements.
The Undersecretary of the ministry, Dr. Al-Amir Jaafar, said in a press statement that after intensive efforts, the Ministry of Animal Resources was able to start shipping sheep to Saudi Arabia from the centers of the states of Greater Kordofan, Gedarif, Kassala and Kadaro through the final quarantine in Suakin,” noting that this came as a result of the negotiations between the Sudanese and the Saudi ministries.
Dr. Jaafar that the health measures taken by the ministry were convincing to the Saudi side in terms of animal health, disease control, epidemiological surveys and the implementation of the strategies to combat diseases that affect the exports and cross borders exports.
The Undersecretary affirmed that the ministry has a program that operates in the states in health procedures and disease control field, noting that the national herd is free of diseases and is acceptable in the Saudi markets.
The undersecretary praised the efforts of the ministry’s departments at the center, states, assisting cadres, and organizations supporting the ministry, especially the European Union and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for their great role in the epidemiological survey project, which includes eight states to combat diseases and to support the exports.
Dr. Jaafar said that the exports of live livestock to Saudi Arabia are continuing with the export of meat daily through Khartoum Airport and the ports to the Arab Republic of Egypt, pointing out that the exports are considered one of the pillars of the national economy to support the public treasury with foreign currency, in addition to making Sudan a distinguished position in the field of exports for all the Arab countries, especially the Gulf states.
On his part, the Director General of Quarantines and Meat Health at the ministry, Dr. Ali Adam, said that the first livestock shipment is expected to leave for Jeddah Port on Friday, April 8, adding that the flow of exports to Saudi Arabia will continue.
He explained that 79,708 heads of sheep were transferred from centers and quarantines in Sudan to the final Suakin quarantine on Tuesday, in preparation for exportation to Jeddah Port in the Saudi Arabia.
SUNA learned that a delegation of the Ministry of Animal Resources headed by the ministry’s Undersecretary had left to Saudi Arabia in last March to renew the protocol and health requirements between the Ministry of Livestock and the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to resume the livestock exports that were suspended in January 2022.
Sudan’s livestock exports to Saudi Arabia were halted in January after the Sudanese Animal Resources Ministry and the Saudi side failed to agree on quarantine requirements.
Sudan boasts more than 107 million head of cattle, with livestock exports being a major source of foreign exchange, bringing in about 1 billion U.S. dollars in revenue, according to government statistics. — NNN-SUNA
