Abdullah Al-Rabihat
Amman – Sheep breeders considered that the decision of the Ministry of Agriculture to suspend import licenses for live sheep will raise the prices of imported sheep, while the price of local sheep will decrease in light of the suspension of exports. The media spokesman for the ministry, Lawrence Majali, confirmed that the decision came to preserve the local product and sustain the income of sheep breeders.
Breeders told Al-Ghad that the decision to stop importing is in the interest of livestock breeders, in light of the presence of large numbers of livestock that were destined for export and were not exported, estimated at about a quarter of a million heads.
The head of the Livestock Breeders Association, Zaal Al-Qualit, explained that the price of the imported Romanian small sheep is sold from 4 to 4 and a half per kilo standing, while the large municipal sheep sold 4 to 4 and a half also standing, and the small one is 5 dinars standing.
Al-Qualit added that the decision to stop importing is in the interest of livestock breeders, in light of the presence of large numbers of livestock that were intended for export and were not exported.
And he indicated that the Kingdom exported 600,000 sheep last year, at a value of $200 million, indicating that this is considered income for Jordan and helps provide job opportunities and support for the local product, so it is necessary to work to reopen exports.
For his part, Suleiman Abu Mahfouz, a halal merchant and exporter, considered that the decision to stop importing imported sheep is a negative decision that leads to raising the prices of imported meat and lowering the prices of local meat in light of stopping exports and increasing supply, which will lead to a reduction in local meat prices, especially as we are on the verge of Eid al-Adha.
And the Minister of Agriculture, Khaled Al-Hanifat, decided yesterday to stop importing live sheep licenses, and also decided to suspend the shipment of live sheep that have not yet been shipped, as of yesterday, Thursday, until further notice.
The ministry’s media spokesman, Lawrence Majali, confirmed that the decision came within the framework of the Ministry of Agriculture’s policy of preserving the local product of live sheep, sustaining income for sheep breeders, and preserving the livestock sector.
And he indicated that the decision was taken in light of the availability of sufficient quantities of imported sheep, which cover the needs of the local market for Eid Al-Adha.
The Assistant Secretary-General of the Ministry of Agriculture for Livestock, Ali Abu Nuqta, said in a press statement last Sunday that Saudi Arabia temporarily suspended the import of sheep from Jordan last February after the spread of foot-and-mouth disease among cows.
He added that Jordan did not record cases of fever in sheep, pointing out that the Ministry of Agriculture vaccinated sheep and goats for the first time in its history, as about 3.5 million heads were vaccinated last year.
He pointed out that stopping the import of sheep is a precautionary measure taken by countries, and what Saudi Arabia has done is a temporary measure, indicating that limited numbers of sheep have been exported to other countries by air during the last period.
Abu Nuqtah explained that in the event of any disease, the World Organization for Animal Health is notified, and when the disease ends, the organization is also notified.
He pointed out that there is a special situation between Jordan and Saudi Arabia as it is the main importer of Jordanian sheep, stressing that the “Jordanian sheep” is desirable on the Gulf table and that the opening of exports will be soon.
