JEDDAH, 9 February — Cattle prices touched a 20-year high in the Kingdom, particularly in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah, according to the market sources. The soaring price is attributed largely to the ban on the cattle import from African nations such as Sudan, Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, Djibouti, etc., where the animals are feared to have been affected by the killer disease Rift Valley Fever. The disease had, reportedly, killed several thousands of cattle heads in the southern provinces of the Kingdom and in Yemen.
On the other hand, the demand will be at the highest during the Haj days when hundreds of thousands of cattle will be offered as sacrifice both by pilgrims and Muslims for the Eid Al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice).
However, 650,000 heads of cattle have been secured from various sources under a joint project by the Kingdom and the Islamic Development Bank to meet the demand during this year’s Haj which is likely to fall on March 4.
IDB President Ahmad Ali announced last month the bank's decision to increase the price of the sheep from SR340 to SR375 in the light of the difficulties experienced in importing disease-free and religiously suitable animals.
Last year, about 500,000 sheep, cows, and camels were slaughtered starting from the first day of Eid Al-Adha.
In Jeddah the price of Soukani — goats from Soukan in Sudan — has shot up to SR1,000 from last month's price of SR450 and the price for Berberi sheep went up from SR140 to SR450 while a calf's price reached SR2,100 from SR1,200. The traders fear that the prices will keep on rising until the peak period of the Haj season and Eid.
According to sources in the Commerce Ministry's branch office in Jeddah substitute arrangements to make more cattle supply to the market are in place. The current market trend is a passing phenomenon, the source added.
