Hama-sana
Livestock in Hama Governorate face challenges and problems that threaten its role and position in stabilizing food security due to multiple circumstances, foremost among which is the high prices of fodder and other production requirements.
In SANA's meetings with a number of major livestock breeders and dealers, Hamza Fardawi demanded a trader to take rapid steps in order to support livestock by securing labor and production supplies of veterinary medicines and feed at the official price and controlling the markets for selling meat in addition to reactivating previous decisions on importing and exporting livestock and exempting them. From customs duties and taxes.
Faradawi pointed out that the rise in livestock prices is due to the reluctance of many breeders to raise livestock due to its high costs and the absence of adequate support from government agencies, calling for the import of distinctive breeds of cattle and cows with high genetic competence for the production of milk and meat.
For his part, Mustafa Jassim Al-Muhammad, a livestock breeder from the village of Khunifis Al-Dosa in the Badia of Hama, confirmed that the Uqayribat area in the eastern countryside of Hama Governorate, which was liberated from the abomination of terrorism, is the best place to raise livestock, as it includes a gathering of more than 200 villages and towns, the majority of whose people work in raising livestock Which had more than 2 million heads before 2011, indicating the need to facilitate and encourage breeders to continue raising sheep and increase the amount of subsidized fodder, especially barley and bran, to meet all the needs of the livestock herds.
In their turn, the breeders Sabr Jasim Al-Muhammad and Fawzi Al-Hussein from the village of Khunifis Al-Dosa said that the terrorist war on Syria led to the abandonment of a large number of livestock breeders from their herds, which hindered the livestock production process, calling for steps to encourage breeders to return to the exercise of their activities and work to develop rural communities, especially in Liberated areas, in addition to granting loans to support livestock and develop the productivity of local herds.
For his part, Mustafa Al-Sabbagh Al-Shaizari, a member of the executive office of the Hama Craftsmen Union and the supervisor of the Association of Meat, said that the markets of Hama witnessed an increase in meat prices during the recent period, matched by a significant decline in the slaughtering operations that take place through the technical slaughterhouse in the city of Hama, indicating that the number of sheep that are slaughtered Daily, it does not exceed 50 heads of sheep and 3 calves only.
Dr. Sami Abu Dan, Assistant Director of Agriculture for Livestock Affairs, indicated that the number of livestock in Hama amounts to 3 million and 200 thousand head of sheep and goats in addition to 55 thousand head of cows, pointing out that the health status of livestock is good and the herds do not suffer from any communicable or epidemic diseases. The directorate continues to provide free veterinary and extension services for livestock.
On the cost of fodder and the demands of increasing the amount of rationing fodder distributed to livestock breeders, Eng. Abdul Karim Shabat, Director General of the General Fodder Corporation, confirmed that the coming period will witness a significant increase in the quantities of the rationale for all types of livestock, up to three times the amount previously distributed at subsidized prices that are much less than Market prices, as part of supporting the stability of the breeding process during the winter season, which contributes to securing meat, milk and dairy products at reduced prices.
Abdullah Sheikh
SANA Economic Bulletin