The Veterinary Quarantine Section inspected and released some 375,133 heads of imported livestock during the summer months, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment said in a press statement yesterday.
Farhoud Hadi al-Hajiri, director of the MME’s Animal Resources Department, said these included 358,662 heads of sheep, 5,168 cows and 11,303 camels.
He stressed that the department made sure that the necessary equipment was available at the entry points into Qatar to examine such animals and ensure that the imported animals were free from any diseases that could negatively impact public health and animal wealth in the country.
The department is also keen to ease the necessary procedures to release these animals expeditiously, and facilitate the business of importers and suppliers.
Al-Hajiri said livestock import activities usually start before the holy month of Ramadan every year, noting that the percentage of rejected consignments did not exceed 1% of the total livestock coming into the country, and mostly involving small consignments.
In case a violation of veterinary quarantine regulations is detected, the importer has to re-export the infected animal to the country of origin at his own expense, it was observed. Meanwhile, dead animals are disposed of in environment-friendly incinerators.
The import of livestock for slaughter or breeding is only allowed from countries where adequate veterinary checks are made before the consignment is sent. Also, imported animals are quarantined as soon as they arrive in Qatar for further examination before being allowed into the country.
Veterinary quarantine is the first line of defence to prevent the entry of communicable and infectious diseases, which may affect public health and wealth in the State, he added.