Barlamane.com
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2.40pm – November 15, 2024
Morocco has resumed its imports of sheep from Romania. According to Cristian Laurențiu Morteașu, general director of animal health and welfare at the National Veterinary Sanitary and Food Safety Authority of Romania (ANSVSA), 13,000 sheep recently left a collection center in Constanța bound for Morocco, confirming an infirmation reported by the local economic newspaper Economical.
The Romanian official clarified that at the end of August 2024, sheep exports amounted to around 1.4 million heads, compared to 2.3 million in the same period of the previous year. He also highlighted that the first shipments to Morocco, a key market for Romanian breeders, were shipped last week.
Romanian professionals in the sector hope to enter into a lasting partnership with Moroccan importers, allowing the shipment of 10,000 to 28,000 heads per month, with a total target of 100,000 sheep exported to Morocco in the coming months.
According to official Romanian data, Morocco ranked tenth among Romanian sheep importers in 2023 with more than 15,000 head imported, representing 0.6% of total exports of 2.3 million head. The main markets remained Jordan (36%), Greece (20.8%) and Saudi Arabia (20.7%).
At the beginning of November, a Moroccan delegation, made up of representatives of the National Food Safety Office (ONSSA) and livestock professionals, traveled to Romania to examine the conditions for a resumption of imports. after suspension. The visit made it possible to inspect the collection centers in Constanța and to finalize the necessary documents for the import of the first shipments.
Since July, Romanian sheep exports had slowed significantly due to the discovery of outbreaks of small ruminant pest on several farms. The Romanian authorities reacted by banning the export and marketing of infected sheep and systematically slaughtering them, which helped to contain the spread of the disease.
