New regulations: Livestock markets to be moved outside cities and camel transactions to be documented

The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has announced a comprehensive regulatory plan to restructure the livestock sector by introducing fundamental amendments to Article 98 of the executive regulations of the Agriculture Law. This step comes as part of the Ministry's efforts to enhance the sector's efficiency, ensure biosecurity, and protect public health.

The context of development and keeping pace with Vision 2030

These measures are part of the Kingdom's strategy to achieve sustainable food security in line with the goals of Vision 2030, which places great importance on regulating the agricultural and livestock sectors. This approach comes after years of urban expansion that led to some traditional markets becoming intertwined with residential neighborhoods, necessitating regulatory intervention to resolve this overlap in a way that serves the public interest and preserves the urban environment.

Strict spatial and health requirements

The new amendments granted the ministry exclusive authority to determine the locations of markets, both seasonal and permanent, while imposing a complete ban on informal street vending. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the regulations is the mandatory requirement that all new public livestock markets be located outside the urban boundaries of cities, governorates, and villages. This decision aims directly to:

• Reducing environmental pollution and unpleasant odors within residential neighborhoods.
• Preventing the spread of diseases common to humans and animals.
• Improving the urban landscape and removing visual distortions caused by slums.

Veterinary care and mandatory vaccination

The ministry did not stop at spatial regulation; it also established strict health standards, linking the licensing of any market to the presence of a permanent veterinary clinic to oversee the safety of the animals offered for sale. It also imposed mandatory vaccination as a prerequisite for completing sales transactions, meaning that the trading of livestock not vaccinated with vaccines approved by licensed authorities is prohibited. The regulations emphasize animal welfare principles, prohibiting the sale of any animal showing signs of exhaustion or illness, and requiring its immediate isolation.

Regulating the camel sector: price transparency and documentation

Regarding the camel sector, which constitutes a significant cultural and economic heritage in the Kingdom, the regulations have introduced a system to govern financial transactions. The new system requires owners to document sales, leases, or exchanges within a maximum period of 30 days. This documentation must include detailed information such as:

• The type of camel, its sex, its color, and its age.
• Disclosure of the financial price of the transaction.

Expected economic and regulatory impact

This regulation is expected to bring about a qualitative shift in the Kingdom's camel market, as price transparency will help eliminate irregular practices such as commercial concealment or fictitious speculation that could harm small breeders and investors. Furthermore, data documentation enhances the reliability of breeds and strengthens the national livestock database, thus facilitating future planning and providing more effective support to breeders.