Local Saudi cattle sellers have estimated their monthly losses resulting from the recent outbreak of Rift Valley Disease at 85 million Saudi riyals ($22.5 million), reported Al-Hayat. The total sales of sheep in the kingdom range between 3-6 million heads annually and are valued at over SR 1 billion ($533.3 million).
Many of the local cattle breeders and sellers stressed the importance of finding adequate solutions for the recent spread of this disease, despite the fact that the locally raised cattle has not been infected with the disease.
According to the report, the local per sheep head price fell as low as SR 80 ($21.3) compared to SR 600, before the emergence of this epidemic in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the embargo imposed on the sheep imports from Africa resulted in an over 85 percent slump in the local meat sales. — (Albawaba-MEBG)
