The Ministry of Agriculture has recently issued a ministerial order lifting the temporary ban on the import of cattle for slaughtering only from the Para state of Brazil, based on the recommendations of the Saudi technical team whose members visited the state of Para in the Republic of Brazil to see the veterinarian health status and make sure they are free of foot and mouth disease in order to allow national livestock institutions to import live cattle from there. The ministry stipulated that all imported cattle consignments from the area of Para be for the purpose of slaughter accompanied by health certificate from the competent governmental authorities after adjustment to comply with the conditions of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as well as the special conditions of Saudi Arabia. The order stipulated other health conditions covering foot-and-mouth disease test, the exclusion of infected cows and direct transport to the port for export to the Kingdom with the necessary precautions and documentation.
