Latest news with #livestockmarket
BBC News
28-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Bluetongue virus restrictions in Wales 'futile' say farming unions
Restrictions brought in to try to prevent the bluetongue virus spreading to livestock in Wales are futile and impractical, farming unions have 1 July, all cattle, sheep and goats being transported across the border from England will need to test negative for the disease before they can be moved into bluetongue has spread across large parts of England, it has yet to reach Wales this year and the Welsh government said its policy was aimed at holding the virus back "for as long as we can".Spread by midges, bluetongue presents no threat to food safety or human health, but can be fatal for livestock, including sheep and cattle. At the Monmouthshire livestock market, near Raglan, there was plenty of livestock for sale, but many farmers were worried.A restricted zone (RZ) in England - limiting the movement of animals - has continued to expand over recent months as the disease has UK government has now decided to designate the whole of England as an RZ from 1 July, meaning an end to movement controls within England, prompting the Welsh government's restrictions, announced by Wales' Rural Affairs Secretary Huw Irranca-Davies, will see farmers have to obtain and pay for pre-movements tests and licenses for animals being moved from England to Wales. Monmouthshire market's manager, Phil Jones, said the restrictions would leave the market in "dire straits"."It's going to be devastating to us, and a lot of the farmers and every livestock market right through the Welsh and English border as well."For us it's going to knock around 20% out of the business that we do… If these restrictions are in place come breeding sale season in late July, August, and through September then we'll be in dire straits." 'Badly disrupted' Abi Reader from the National Farmers' Union was vaccinating her cattle against bluetongue at her farm in the Vale of is a vaccine for cows, although it takes weeks to be Reader said: "We need to see a better rollout of the vaccine, and we need better messaging going to farmers to say it's worthwhile, but we also need to think of more pragmatic things that we can do up and down that border to help farmers to be able to trade."Ultimately we need to get to a place where animals can be traded."The Farmers' Union of Wales said trying to enforce a border was futile and impractical, and trade would be badly disrupted, while the National Farmers' Union said the restrictions were not proportionate to the risk from bluetongue. Opposition parties have also criticised the Welsh government's Conservatives have said ministers should have looked into the economic impact of their decision, while Plaid Cymru wants ministers to promote vaccination and ensure there was enough of it the minister in charge, the Rural Affairs Secretary, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, said it was the right thing to do."Our approach now, is to do our darnedest to keep bluetongue out of Wales," he said."We're trying to do this to actually buy farmers time as well… But let me be clear, if bluetongue does spread, and if it spreads more rapidly than we anticipate, we can change very quickly and dynamically."
Khaleej Times
01-06-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Some Qurbani prices start at Dh12,000, surge up to 80% ahead of Eid Al Adha
Muhammed Azam, an Indian expat and engineer working at a payment gateway firm, was taken aback when he visited the Al Qusais cattle market on Saturday evening. The reason? The prices of sacrificial animals ahead of Eid Al Adha had jumped far beyond his expectations. 'I bought a Somali ox for about Dh6,000 in 2023, and it weighed almost 450kg. But now, the same size starts at Dh10,000. That's over a 60 per cent increase,' said Azam. He had traveled to his hometown in Kerala in Eid 2024 and missed last year's market pricing. 'I thought I could manage with a budget of Dh10,000 this year. But here, even the goats are starting from Dh1,200,' he added. Khaleej Times visited Al Qusais livestock market and spoke to several buyers and sellers, who confirmed the sharp price increase. Compared to just two years ago, the cost of sacrificial animals has increased by 60 to 80 percent. At the market, here are the current prices: Significant price jump Pakistani resident Abdul Shakoor, who was visiting the market to buy a sacrificial animal for Eid Al Adha, said this is the third year he has been buying from the same seller, and the price jump is significant. 'Two years ago, I paid around Dh1,600 for a decent goat. Now, they are asking Dh2,800 for the same size — and that's after bargaining,' he said. 'This Eid is important to us, but it's getting harder for middle-income families to afford the qurbani (sacrifice). I might have to share with a friend and buy an ox,' he added. Why have prices increased? Mohammed Usman, a livestock trader from Pakistan who has been selling animals in the UAE for eight years, explained that the price hike was inevitable this year. 'We are getting animals from suppliers at much higher rates. (Costs for) feed, transport, taxes have all increased. For example, transporting animals from Pakistan or India is much more expensive than it was three years ago,' he said. Traders also pointed to the limited availability of animals. 'There is high demand this year and limited supply. Prices rise automatically when there are more buyers and fewer animals,' he added. Lala Khan, another trader at the market, said he has been in Dubai for fifteen years and hasn't seen this kind of price increase before. 'We have sold goats for Dh500 to Dh700 in previous years. Now, even the smallest Somali goat is at least Dh1,000 to Dh1,200. People are angry, but we also have no choice,' he said. With prices expected to rise further as Eid approaches, shoppers are advised to book early. 'Demand for sacrificial animals is huge now, and buyers have already started purchasing. Due to the surge in demand, prices may rise even more as Eid Al Adha nears,' said Khan.
