Sudan to export 1,8 million heads of cattle to Saudi Arabia: official
May 2, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese government said it would export 1,8 million heads of cattle to Saudi Arabia in 2016.
According to director of El-Khowai animal quarantine in West Kordofan state Ahmed Adam Younis, 300,000 sheep have been exported to Saudi Arabia between January and April of this year.
He told the official news agency (SUNA) that sheep export to Saudi Arabia is going according to plan, saying that additional 1,500,000 sheep would be exported during this year.
Younis added the export operations are being conducted according to the primary health requirements.
He pointed that they provide veterinary services for the animals according to the requirements of the importing countries, saying the quarantine recently rehabilitated its infrastructure including the 15 stockyards and the fodder stores.
Sudan’s relations with the Gulf States have recently improved following years of tension caused by Sudan-Iran connections.
Sudan has participated in the Saudi-led coalition against Houthi militants in Yemen and also in the military exercises “Thunder of the North” in Saudi Arabia.
Last January, Sudan’s minister of animal wealth said that a company from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has developed investment studies to increase the exports of live cattle to 600,000 heads annually.
Sudan’s animal wealth is Africa’s second largest. The national herd is estimated around 140 million heads of cattle.
(ST)