On the occasion of Eid Al Adha 1440H and within the framework of the joint national initiative to promote local production and subsidize the prices of sheep meat, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in cooperation with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and Widam Food Company, have announced the subsidized sheep prices initiative, which aims to encourage domestic production and to maintain the balance of supply and demand, thereby limiting price increases.

The sale of sheep begins on Sunday 3^rd of Dhu al-Hijjah 1440 Hijri, corresponding to August 4^th, until Tuesday 12^th of Dhu al-Hijjah 1440 Hijri, corresponding to August 13^th, 2019 (the third day of Eid).

An agreement was reached with Widam Food Company to ensure a supply of 9,000 sheep of Arab origin (local and Syrian) according to the following weights and prices:

The sheep will be sold through Widam Food Company at a number of locations, such as the central market and other Widam slaughterhouses in Al Shamal, Al Khor, Al Mazrouah, Umm Salal, Al-Shahaniya and Al Wakra. Home delivery services will also be available.

According to the terms of the initiative, sheep will be sold to each Qatari citizen who shall present a valid ID card. The buyer should be at least 20 years old (born in 1999 or later) and shall have the right to purchase only one sheep. This will ensure the availability of sheep for the targeted segment.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in coordination with Widam Food Company, is prohibiting the sale of underweight sheep. Sheep that do not conform to specifications and slaughter conditions, or have incompatible weights and sizes as agreed upon with the Ministry will not be sold. The Ministry is also ensuring the availability of suitable barns.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry stressed that it will intensify its inspection campaigns from the first day of sale, corresponding to August 4, 2019, and until Tuesday 13 August 2019 (the third day of Eid al-Adha), to ensure compliance with the subsidized prices and the implementation of safety procedures.

Last February, the Ministries of Commerce and Industry, and Municipality and Environment launched the joint national initiative to promote local production and subsidize sheep meat prices. The initiative aims at encouraging local farmers to upgrade their equipment, improve their capabilities, and create a strategic stock of local sheep that guarantees food security and meets demand.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has launched the subsidized sheep initiatives during the holy month of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha every year. The initiatives have encouraged farmers to increase their stock and production of local sheep which contributed to an increase in the sales of local sheep during the holy month of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha.

The following table shows the evolution in the contribution of domestic production to the initiatives:

The above table shows the percentage and contribution of local sheep production to the subsidized sheep initiative during the holy month of Ramadan for the last three years, where the quantities of local sheep increased from 293 in 2017 to 2819 in 2018 and 6421 in 2019, which translates into an increase in the proportion of domestic production from 1% in 2017 to 23% during Ramadan of 2019. In addition, the contribution of local sheep during Eid al-Adha initiative in 2018 stood at 1080 sheep, representing 12% of the total number of sheep amounting to 9119.

The Ministry urges all consumers to report violations and to submit inquiries and complaints through the following channels:

Call Centre: 16001

Email: info@moci.gov.qa

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