Bahrain gears up to meet surge in demand for meat during Ramadan
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, preparations are in full swing in Bahrain to meet the increased demand for meat products.
According to the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Undersecretary for Animal Wealth Resources, Dr. Khalid Ahmed Hassan, Bahrain is set to receive over 16,000 heads of livestock in the coming days.
Dr Hassan added that the market has already imported 11,611 heads of livestock, including 10,500 heads of sheep, 1077 heads of cattle, and 40 heads of camels, to ensure sufficient stock, bringing the total availability to 27,000 heads of livestock.
In addition to the availability of 2569 tons of red meat (both refrigerated and frozen) and 5770 tons of poultry (both chilled and frozen) in the market, the Acting Undersecretary of Agriculture and Marine Resources has announced that the capacity of the veterinary quarantine facility in Buri has been increased by 3,000 sheep heads to 9,500 sheep heads.
This, according to Dr. Hassan, will ensure that market demand and supply will be in tandem during the month of Ramadan.
To facilitate the importation of meat products, the Ministry has distributed 330 import permits ahead of Ramadan.
Shipments are coming to Bahrain from multiple countries, and the animal production department has doubled its working hours to ensure the timely clearance of consignments arriving in the Kingdom.
Dr Hassan reminded livestock traders to consult with concerned agencies before signing contracts to import animals and meat to ensure the epidemiological situation of the exporting country and the correctness of documents.
“We are keen to ensure that all animal consignments meet the import requirements according to the Unified Veterinary Quarantine Law No. 8 of 2003 and its Executive Regulations No. 7 of 2004 in addition to the Gulf Guidelines for Veterinary Quarantine, which was approved by the Agricultural Cooperation Committee at its meeting No. 28 held in Manama,” said Dr. Khaled Ahmed Hassan.
The quarantine facility is Bahrain’s first line of defense, and officials examine shipments of meat by taking samples and ensuring their safety through various processes.
He also called on citizens and residents to buy meat only from approved slaughterhouses, one in Hamala and another in Sitra, and to avoid approaching random slaughterhouses considering the health hazards they pose to health and the environment.
Related Posts