ABU DHABI - The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has announced the launch of the first permanent livestock auction market in Abu Dhabi, located next to Al Wathba Slaughterhouse, to help breeders market their animals, develop the livestock sector, and promote self-sufficiency.

Launching the auction came under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of ADAFSA.

During a press conference, ADAFSA announced that the first auction will take place in collaboration with the Advanced Scientific Group (ASG), which is scheduled to be held on Sunday, 27th November with the presidential camel zakat, where the second auction will take place on Monday, 28th November, to bid on camel calves from Bada Thalab livestock farm, while another auction is scheduled to be held on 29th-30th November, in which the personal production of camel calves will be auctioned. Additionally, other auctions will be organised regularly to enable livestock breeders directly sell their camels to the public, thus promoting efforts to develop the livestock sector in Abu Dhabi.

In this regard, Saeed Al Bahri Alameri, Director-General of ADAFSA, said, "Under the generous sponsorship of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, we are launching the first livestock auction market in the emirate with the aim of enabling breeders to directly sell their animals to customers and providing appropriate numbers of local animals, which contributes to supporting the biosecurity system and the livestock sector."

Alameri noted that the permanent livestock auction market will serve as a destination for those interested in buying camels, cattle, and rare animals. He added the auction market helps meet the market needs of local meat and other animal products.

From his side, Rashid Al Rasas Al Mansouri, Executive Director of ADAFSA's Animal Wealth sector, said that ADAFSA was keen on providing all capabilities to ensure the success of the livestock auction market.

"The auction features 31 barns that can accommodate up to 100 baby camels, 40 camels, and 200 sheep and goats. With an outdoor space and parking for about 154 cars, the auction market can also accommodate more than 250 people. The auction further includes service facilities, restaurants, and shops selling fodder and farm supplies, and other entertainment venues for auctioneers," Al Mansouri stated.

Al Mansouri indicated that establishing such facilities for breeders increases the competitiveness of local livestock production and encourages breeders to improve animal production, thus protecting and developing livestock.

On the other hand, Khalifa Abdullah bin Thani Al Nuaimi, the CEO of ASG, said, "We are proud of our collaboration with ADAFSA. We are grateful for the confidence of ADAFSA's leadership in our ability to organise the first auction in Abu Dhabi's livestock auction market. The ASG will work on achieving the auction's desired goals and managing it in the best possible way, to promote the protection and development of the emirate's livestock."

Al Nuaimi added that ASG has a wide range of high-quality professionals specialised in areas of camel breeding and livestock marketing. He clarified the camels to be auctioned in the first auctions, are pure-bred and strong, while camel calves are less than one year old.