DAMMAM, 21 February — The sale of sacrificial animals in Dammam and Thuqba has increased by nearly 10 percent from last year, and the livestock traders are optimistic that in the next three days the business will pick up further.
While the local sheep like Najdi, Naimi and Baladi continue to fetch almost the same price as last year, the lifting of the ban on import of livestock from several countries sent down the prices of foreign breeds. Local Naimi sheep, preferred mainly by Saudis, was selling at SR650-SR750, depending on weight. The Baladi variety fetched SR450-SR500.
Among the expatriates, the Sudanese Savakni is most popular and is selling between SR390 and SR450. The Ministry of Health has given a clean chit to Sudanese livestock recently.
The livestock market opened last week on a nervous note, as many traders feared that the FMD and mad cow syndrome could affect the Eid Al-Adha sales. However, all such fears were allayed in a couple of days and the market experienced brisk business.
“It was a sheer coincidence that the government decided to lift the ban at this time,” said Saleh Al-Ghamdi, a livestock importer in Dammam.
He said the decision benefited the traders and consumers alike.
Livestock traders say that the sales will go up in the next two or three days. Prices of some of the breeds may go up as a result of increased demand, but prices of the imported variety are expected to remain stable due to fierce competition.
Abdul Aziz Qarni, a trader of local sheep expected a further increase in the prices of Najdi, Naimi and Baladi variety. “These animals are more in demand and their price may go up from 10 to 15 percent in the next two days,” he said.
