The National staff

Livestock prices have increased up to 40 per cent in the markets of Fujairah and the Eastern Region, while 80 per cent of livestock varieties are no longer available, as is common before Eid Al Adha.

The price of local billy goats reached Dh15,000 although the animals are not readily available in Fujairah and Kalbaa, whereas the price of the Najdi Ram ranged between Dh4,000 and Dh5,000.

Dr Hashim Al Nuaimi, Head of Consumer Protection at the Ministry of Economy, stressed the need for all traders at livestock markets not to exaggerate their prices, adding that selling livestock outside markets would incur fines between Dh5,000 and Dh10,000.

Dr Al Nuaimi said the Ministry of Environment would release 250,000 heads of livestock to the markets over the few coming days to cater to the shortage, reported Al Ittihad, the Arabic language sister paper of The National.

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