RIYADH: The Saudi Camel Club held a economics seminar on Wednesday as part of the ongoing King Abdulaziz Camel Festival.
Titled “The Economics of Camels and their Food Products,” the event was organized in cooperation with the King Abdulaziz Public Library.
It was moderated by Dr. Abdullah bin Muhammad Al-Razeen, professor of economics at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, who stressed the importance of economics within the camel food industry.
Dr. Khalid bin Nahar Al-Ruwais, professor of production economics and facilities management at King Saud University, said that the Kingdom ranks third globally behind Sudan and Somalia for the number of camels, with about 1.8 million in Saudi Arabia.
Professor of nutrition at King Abdulaziz University Dr. Amani bint Alaiwy Al-Rashidi said that several scientific studies are underway to determine the effects of fresh camel milk in improving the neurological status of autistic children, treating infections, controlling diabetes and curing ailments.
Al-Rashidi added that camel milk is rich in vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, iron and sodium. “Camel milk is also rich in zinc and selenium, which are antioxidants and have a major role in treating cancer,” she said.
She stressed the need for extensive research to identify the structural features of camel milk, the raising of production capacity as well as the determining of consumer acceptance and market trends.
Al-Rashidi also called for supporting the camel industry by developing policies and strategies promoting camel milk and related dairy products.
The King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, launched under the slogan “Himat Tuwaiq,” is a one-of-a kind event that showcases thousands of camels across dozens of prize categories.
