By RFIPalled on 11-08-2019Modified on 11-08-2019 at 04:07
With its 100 million inhabitants, Egypt is the largest consumer of sheep in the Arab world at the Eid al-Adha festival. Only Saudi Arabia exceeds Egypt in terms of sheep sacrificed thanks to the three million pilgrims from all over the world.
With our correspondent in Cairo, Alexandre Buccianti
Even though sheep farming is widespread in Egypt, whether in the Delta or Upper Egypt, the country can not do without import. And their origin changes from year to year depending on prices, but also diseases. This year, the biggest exporter of sheep to Egypt is Sudan. Sheep that will have traveled more than a thousand kilometers before finishing sacrificed this Sunday.
" 60% of the sheep come from Sudan," says Mohamad Salama, a large sheep trader at the Imbaba market in Cairo. They come to the Nile of Sudan, cross the quarantine at the border and arrive in Aswan. The sheep are then transported by freight train, trucks or barges on the Nile. Barges are preferred for the Imbaba and Warak markets in Cairo. For Alexandria, the train is preferred, and for the nearest places, transport is by truck. This operation begins one month before the party. The sale is done in batches and they are auctioned with the weight of the sheep in judgment. "
But despite the increase in the population, the number of sheep sacrificed is decreasing due to impoverishment. It must indeed count the equivalent of 200 euros for a sheep of 50 kilos. Or two months of SMIC.
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