RIYADH/JIZAN, 30 January 2003 — Agriculture Minister Dr. Abdullah Muammar confirmed yesterday that his ministry was taking precautions to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD) from Syria.
He was commenting on a report that Jordan had prevented a number of trucks carrying Syrian sheep to the Kingdom through its territory.
Jordan took the action following a World Health Organization (WHO) report that the disease had hit several herds of Syrian sheep.
A number of sheep traders in Hafr Al-Baten confirmed that several of their trucks, sent to bring sheep from Syria, returned empty.
Muammar said Saudi officials at border points had intensified checks of consignments coming from Syria to prevent the disease from spreading into the Kingdom.
The minister did not rule out a ban on sheep imports from Syria and Jordan if it was proved that sheep in both countries were affected by the disease.
Meanwhile, special squads have prevented the smuggling of 2,000 heads of sheep from Jizan to Makkah before the beginning of the Haj season. The sheep smuggling was foiled by officials in Hamra near Derb.
Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, director of the Agriculture Ministry’s office in Jizan, told Arab News that the ministry banned transport of sheep from certain areas in the region since the outbreak of foot and mouth about three years ago. The Kingdom only recently lifted the ban on sheep imports from Syria and Jordan.
Syrian exporters, meanwhile, said four ships carrying about 20,000 heads of sheep have been sent to Saudi Arabia regardless of the import restrictions.
