Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar has approved a unified contract between food catering firms and domestic Haj service providers which places full financial and medical liability on caterers in cases of food poisoning.

The ministry emphasized that it “would not accept any other type of contract,” under which both Haj establishments and caterers will be bound by certain obligations and restrictions.

Catering companies will also be responsible for ensuring hygiene in areas where they distribute food both during and after the meals are handed out.

Haj service providers, meanwhile, will now pay caterers in three installments under the new contract.

Providers will pay 50 percent of the total food costs on signing the contract, 30 percent on receipt of meals on Haj premises and the remaining 20 percent at the end of the contractual period.

The introduction of the new contract will nullify the need for financial guarantees paid by catering firms, but would oblige caterers to secure 20 percent of the value of the contract through local Saudi bank guarantees to the Haj Ministry.

Haj service providers will be allowed to contract other catering firms in the event contracted caterers do no adhere to any part of the new contract.

Camp rent is due a month ahead of Haj. The ministry began distributing seasonal licenses to Haj firms who paid their dues from Sunday.

The ministry has slashed the number of domestic pilgrims by 50 percent this year to make way for expansion projects, slated to increase pilgrim capacity at the Grand Mosque to 4 million by 2040.