Livestock quarantine facilities at Hamad, Ruwais ports ready for June launch

The project of constructing two veterinary quarantine facilities at both Hamad Port and Al Ruwais Port are in its final stages and they will be launched in June, Abdulaziz al-Ziyarah, director of the livestock department at the Ministry of Municipality, said.

He told local Arabic daily Arrayah that every livestock cargo from abroad will be subject to all the quarantine procedures at the two ports to ensure they are free from any diseases. This would eventually provide extra protection to the livestock already in the country.

The two new quarantine facilities are among the best in the Middle East. Each has a slaughterhouse and an incinerator. In this way the healthy livestock can slaughtered and only meat is sent to the market while any infected animal can be culled and the carcass incinerated at more than 1,000 degree Celsius.

The two facilities are equipped with the most sophisticated examination and diagnostic equipment that could give highly accurate results quickly. Al Ruwais quarantine is spread across 40,000sqm while that of Hamad port is 60,000sqm.

Al-Ziyarah stressed that the new quarantine facilitiess will help in diversifying the sources of livestock imports, instead of the currently limited number of approved places.

The official said the project to develop the barns' complexes will start in 2023, where various services will be provided to herd owners and workers in addition to the customers. These include warehouses to sell fortified and green fodder, places to collect sheep milk and fleece them, and veterinary centers and pharmacies.

The project entails the creation of a livestock market and other general services shops such as groceries and barber shops. The barns in the country will be classified into three categories, based on which they will enjoy more services and privileges.