He said officials from the ministry would soon visit Brazil to make arrangements aimed at importing sheep from the South American country.
He said the local breeds of sheep, such as Al-Niaimi, Al-Najdi and Al-Harri, are usually very expensive, while the imported sheep prices are reasonable. "The ministry is always keen to open new markets to import sheep," he said.
The minister had talks in Riyadh on Saturday with visiting Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade Fernando Pimentel and discussed agricultural issues of mutual concern.
Balghonaim said the government was subsidizing the price of fodder but warned that there were limits to this subsidy. "All Saudi farmers get subsidy from the government but this subsidy cannot remain open forever," he said.
The prices of sheep in the Kingdom, currently ranging between SR1,400 and SR1,800 per head, are expected to rise further. The ministry put a ban on imports from European countries as a precautionary measure, to protect animals in the Kingdom from diseases and epidemics such as Schmallenberg virus, which has widely spread among sheep in France.
The current political unrest in some Arab countries has also affected the Kingdom's import of sheep. According to the ministry's sources, Saudi Arabia has completely stopped importing sheep from Syria.
