People buying sacrificial sheep at the Abu Hamour livestock market for Eid Al Adha. Pic: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula
DOHA: Arab-bred local sacrificial animals are best in quality and competing with the imported ones and in great demand. “Local sacrificial animals are available at the outlets of Widam Food Company and at the livestock market at Al Mazrouha Yard, Umm Salal,” said Farhud Al Hajari, Director of Livestock Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment.
Al Hajari was speaking in a talk show of Al Rayyan TV recently on the preparation of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment to ensure the availability and safety of sacrificial animals for Eid Al Adha.
He said that the Ministry of Municipality and Environment stepped up efforts ahead of Eid Al Adha to provide healthy sacrificial animals to the customers. “The department concerned at the Ministry is taking samples of imported animals for laboratory tests to ensue they are fit for human consumption,” said Al Hajari.
He said that Quarantine Section run by the Ministry used to give approval for import of animals. “Once shipment arrives, samples are taken for laboratory tests to ensure they are free from any disease to protect consumers and other animals from infection,” said Al Hajari.
He said that under an initiative launched by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, local sacrificial animal are being sold in coordination with Widam Food Company during Eid to encourage local farms to increase their production.
“The initiative has been running for many years but this year the focus is to increase local production of animals to increase self-sufficiency of the country,” said Al Hajari.
“The number of livestock in Qatar has reached over 1.6 million animals due to the proactive measures taken by the government agencies and private companies after blockade,” said Al Hajari. He said that the blockade proved a stimulant for private companies and animal breeding farms to improve their performances as a result self-sufficiency in local products increased significantly.
Speaking about the support of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment to local animal breeding farms, Al Hajari said that the Ministry is providing direct and indirect support to the farms. “Direct support includes providing free medicines, vaccinations and other health services. Another services is free laboratory tests of the products like meat and milk to ensure they are fit for human consumption,” he added.
He said that indirect supports of the Ministry included providing paper for disbursing quota of fodder and water to animal breeding farms and coordination with Qatar Development Bank to give loans to finance their projects.
