The Director of Livestock Affairs Department, Abdul Aziz Al Ziyara, and Head of Livestock Health Section at the Department, Saleh Jarullah Al Marri, with officials and guests at the opening ceremony of Livestock Market in Al Shamal.
The Livestock Affairs Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) opened yesterday a livestock market with abattoir in Al Shamal offering locally-bred sheep and goats at attractive prices.
“The new market will serve as platform for local livestock farms to sell their products directly to customers without middlemen,” said Director of Livestock Affairs Department Abdul Aziz Al Ziyara while speaking at the opening ceremony yesterday.
He said that the market offers 10 shaded spaces for livestock farms to showcase their animals free-of-cost ensuring competitive price for their hard-work, which will help them to turn their farms into commercial ones and increase the production.
“Veterinary doctors are provided to assure on the quality and safety of animals before selling to the customers,” said Al Ziyara.
Head of the Livestock Health Section at the Department, Saleh Jarullah Al Marri, said that Livestock Market of Al Shamal is second of its kind after the one which is operating at Al Mazrouah.
“Third Livestock Market with poultry outlets will open in Al Khor by mid 2020 and the fourth one will be commissioned in Al Sheehaniya,” said Al Marri.
“The number of shaded spaces at the Livestock Market of Al Mazrouah increased from 20 to 37 last year, where 35 local farms are participating,” said Al Marri adding that sale has reached over 300 heads per week.
He said that the Livestock Affairs Department has planned to establish outlets for collecting milk from local farms at the markets which will open in livestock farm complexes.
“The project will be launched soon under the major plan of MME to develop livestock farms and support their owners,” said Al Marri.
Lauding the efforts of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment for local farms, a member of Central Municipal Council (CMC), Nasser bin Hassan Al Kubaisi, said that the new market will encourage the local farmers to increase the products.
“The abattoir will be run by Widam Food Company from 6am to 5pm,” said an official from the company adding that Widam is also offering variety of sheep at the market. He said that animals will be slaughtered at the abattoir after conducting tests by veterinary doctor to ensure whether they are fit for human consumption.
To promote local products, the livestock markets provide free-of-cost shaded spaces to local productive farms directly without brokers. First market opened in Al Mazrouah with the participation of 17 local livestock farms in the first year where about 500 heads of goats and sheep were sold out. A total of 36 farms participated in 2018 where the sale reached over 10,000 heads.
