Kenya resumes livestock export to Oman after 16-year ban

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Kenya resumes livestock export to Oman after 16-year ban

Kenya has resumed direct livestock export to Oman after 16-year ban. The first batch of more than 40,000 heads of livestock worth more than Sh200 million left the Port of Mombasa on Monday afternoon to Oman

A ship carrying more than 14,000 goats and sheep from different livestock keeping zones left Mombasa for Salalah Port, Oman as the two countries agree to boost livestock trade in the coming years.

Kenya’s Ambassador to Oman, Sheikh Mohammed Dor said Kenya has the potential to export more than 500,000 heads annually. Sheikh Dor said Kenya will be exporting livestock every month to Oman and Gulf region.

“Today we resume exporting livestock to Oman and this is a wonderful business opportunity apart from the on-going vibrant exports of Kenyan horticulture, floriculture among other products,” said the ambassador.

Mr Dor, who witnessed the loading of the animals, said the resumption of export is due to measures put in place by the Kenyan government to ensure the livestock are free from diseases.

“The economic blueprints of the two countries; Kenya’s Vision 2030 and Oman’s 2040 Big Four Agenda have placed food security as a top agenda,” said Sheikh Dor.

Oman’s meat commissions department cief executive Dr Al Saidi said his team will cooperate with local suppliers to ensure there’s steady supply of livestock to his country.

“Oman is a food hub of Gulf region. This opportunity of livestock export is providing a win-win trading environment for both Kenya and Oman,” said Dr Saidi.

Suppliers

Kenya is working with two local suppliers; Zuridi Africa and Najib’s Livestock International to collect animals across the country for export. The livestock sector has previously been handicapped by rampant cases of foot and mouth diseases.

However, the government has empowered the Kenya Veterinary Vaccine Production Institute, through which they will be able to provide to the farmers, cheaper vaccines to produce disease free livestock for export.

The national and county governments are developing a livestock bill that will, in the long run, create registered producer associations to help livestock owners aggregate their produce and sell them in bulk so as to eliminate middle men from the value chain, and in turn maximize on profits.

Kenya has already signed a number of export agreements with countries in the Middle East to facilitate sale of livestock products. The country intends to use a new Lamu Port for livestock and meat exports. The Lamu port is also ideal for livestock exports because it is closer to the key animal production areas in the Northeast part of the country.