The first consignment of Georgian livestock, consisting of 40,000 heads of sheep, is scheduled to arrive soon at Jeddah Islamic Port. Sulaiman Bin Sa'eed Al-Jabri, owner of the first consignment of sheep from Georgia, said the arrival of the Georgian livestock will contribute to price stability. He pointed out that the Kingdom has now opened the doors for the import of animals from a number of countries. This can only help the local market, he said. King Abdullah recently lifted the ban on imports from Somalia in order to help Saudi traders. Al-Jabri said that allowing direct imports from Somalia to the Kingdom had a positive effect in that it secured the supplies and needs of the local livestock market for Haj. It is estimated that the market requires 25 percent more animals during Haj and Eid Al-Adha. The Ministry of Agriculture has specific criteria for the import of animals, including certificates of origin and health. The ministry has encouraged imports so that the local market can have fresh meat. If there is enough livestock available, this will keep prices down, Al
