The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bahrain Livestock Company, Ebrahim Mohammed Ali Zainal, said that the government subsidy was expected to be BD50 million. With this subsidy, he said, the retailers can sell the red meat at government controlled prices which has been fixed at BD1.20 per kilogram for sheep and BD1.50 for the cattle.
A total of 113,000 heads of livestock are expected to be consumed by Bahrain when it opens its fast during the Holy Month Ramadan. This comprises 110,000 heads of sheep and 300,000 heads of cattle are expected to be consumed by Bahrain during the holy fasting month of Ramadhan.
Zainal, who was quoted by the Bahrain News Agency, said that the estimates are over 10 per cent over consumption figures for 2011. These numbers pertain only to the Bahrain Livestock imports.
He appreciated the government move and support to keep both the industry and the retail satisfied.
The government, he said, provides subsidies to ensure that the stocks can be brought into the market and made available to the retailers at very affordable prices.
“This is a time of year when stocks are priced higher in the international market and the consumption increases in the region. The government, by subsidizing the import, ensures that the supply of red meats is kept alive and no shortage is reported,” he added.
Bahrain Livestock Company imports livestock from other countries and of the 110,000 sheep brought in 50 per cent as live sheep 55,000 sheep and the remaining in the form of imported meat. The beef is imported as meat and not in form of cattle.
“The government machinery at the ports – including the veterinary department, the customs, the wing of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and all such departments were doing a wonderful job by checking the supplies at random and ensuring that no consignment escaped detection and quality approval. The checks are stringent and there is no let up in any form,” he added.