Sheep prices drop as ban lifted

JEDDAH, 4 February — The arrival of new sheep consignments from Sudan, Syria and Jordan, after the lifting of a ban on sheep imports from these countries, has slashed sheep prices in Jeddah markets. As many as 106,260 live sheep have come from Sudan until yesterday after the lifting of the ban. Waleed Al-Khereiji, director of the agriculture and water department in the Makkah region, said he expected some 1.2 million heads of sheep to arrive from Sudan during this Haj season. Khereiji said his department will inspect the herds of sheep in various markets to make sure they are healthy and not infected with diseases.