Somalia registers record exports of 5 million livestock in 2014
Somalia registers record exports of 5 million livestock in 2014
Long-term sector investment boosts country’s trade with Gulf States
29 April 2015, Nairobi/Rome – Somalia in 2014 exported a record 5 million livestock to markets in the Gulf of Arabia thanks to heavy investments in animal disease prevention backed by the European Union and the United Kingdom, FAO said today.
This is the highest number of live animals exported from Somalia in the last 20 years.
The export data, collected by the FAO-managed Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU), indicates that Somalia exported 4.6 million goats and sheep, 340,000 cattle and 77,000 camels in 2014, worth an estimated $360 million.
Livestock is the mainstay of the Somali economy, contributing 40 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
“This is a key milestone for the Somalia’s livestock sector that reflects the large investments being made to support the commercial development of the livestock sector to become more competitive in international markets,” said Said Hussein Iid, Somalia’s Minister of Livestock, Forestry and Range. “This is important for both Somalia’s economy in general and for the livelihoods of the millions of livestock owners throughout Somalia.” Read more>
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Contact: FAO Somalia
Frank Nyakairu
T: +254 786 399311
