JEDDAH, 13 January — The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has finalized all arrangements for this year’s sacrificial meat project.
Under the scheme, known as the Saudi Project for the Utilization of Sacrificial Animals, administered by the Jeddah-based IDB, more than 600,000 animals will be slaughtered over a period of three days during the Haj. The project aims at shipping sacrificial meat to Muslim countries for distribution among the poor and needy.
Local traders and contractors have been asked to secure 600,000 heads of sheep and 6,000 heads of cows and camels. When the project was launched 18 years ago, the meat of only 63,000 animals was utilized.
IDB President Dr. Ahmad Muhammad Ali met in Jeddah yesterday with embassy representatives and officials in charge of Haj affairs in Muslim countries and briefed them on the preparations.
Around one million Muslims are expected to come from abroad for Haj, which will reach its climax on Feb. 21. They will be joined by a similar number from within the Kingdom.
Dr. Ali told the delegates that the pilgrims would be able to purchase the sacrificial coupons at SR350 per head of sheep at all points of entry as well as in Makkah and Mina. The amount covers the price of the animal as well as the cost of veterinary checks, slaughtering, chilling, freezing and shipping.
Last year, the meat of more than half a million animals was utilized under the project. A portion of the meat was distributed in the Kingdom and the rest was shipped to 27 Muslim countries.
Dr. Ali said non-Muslim states with Muslim populations could request for sacrificial meat shipment if they were ready to arrange transportation expenses.
Saudi Arabia last year completed the construction of the largest slaughterhouse in the world built at a cost of more than SR500 million ($134 million) outside Makkah. It consists of four fully equipped units. There are four other slaughterhouses built by the government.
The project employs 20,000 people, including butchers, veterinarians, technicians and laborers employed by the bank each year for this purpose. Some 600 students from religious colleges will ensure that the entire process meets Shariah requirements.
Before the introduction of the project, the government was spending SR20 million a year to remove slaughtered animal carcasses left behind by the pilgrims.
Plans are also afoot to build a gelatin factory to produce a religiously acceptable substitute for porcine gelatin available in markets worldwide for medical and nutritive use.
Saudi and Malaysian companies are working on the project for which a plot of 300,000 square meters has been purchased some 20 kilometers northeast of Makkah.
