Demand for sacrificial animals shoots up 1,400% in 35 years: Official

Monday, August 20, 2018




JEDDAH — The General Supervisor of Saudi Arabia’s Project for Utilization of Haj Sacrificial Meat Rahimi Ahmed Rahimi revealed that the Adahi witnessed a huge increase since the start of the project 35 years ago until the last pilgrimage season, shooting up to about 1,400 percent.

He said that the number of sacrifices carried out by the Project in the year of its establishment in 1983 was 63,000 heads of sheep, while the number in the last pilgrimage season jumped to 927,480 heads of sheep.

Rahimi said that the rate of increase is an important indicator of the Project’s success and the confidence of pilgrims from all over the world in addition to the confidence of Haj missions of various countries, proven by statistical figures.

The Saudi government has entrusted the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to manage the Sacrificial Meat Project from the very beginning in order to facilitate the pilgrims’ rituals of Fedya and Hady, and distribute the meat to the poor Muslims within the Kingdom and aboard.

According to Rahimi, the project is based on a fatwa issued by the Saudi Darul Ifta and approved by the Council of Ministers to approve and authorize mandating the Project exclusively to perform this ritual on behalf of pilgrim as it is subject to the government’s supervision, which ensures the proper application according to Shariah and health requirements.

Rahimi confirmed that the slaughtering takes place in one of the Project’s slaughter houses located in Makkah, which operates in rotations, where butchers, religious experts, support workers and veterinarians cooperate to ensure adherence of all legitimacy and health conditions.

With regard of sheep price estimated at SR475, Rahimi explained that the price is cheap compared to market prices, due to the fact that IDB has contracted to buy a large quantity of sheep to be slaughtered during the Haj season and that the project does not seek to make profit. — SG



 

Source: http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/541624/SAUDI-ARABIA/Demand-for-sacrificial-animals-shoots-up-1400-in-35-years-Official