Iraqi Minister reassures public on Kuwaiti livestock ship
Shafaq News/ Agriculture Minister Abbas Jabr Al-Maliki assured Iraqi citizens regarding the Kuwaiti ship transporting 19,000 cattle from Brazil.
"The 190m-long Al Kuwait, flying the Kuwaiti flag, has undergone comprehensive veterinary examinations, confirming the absence of epidemic diseases in the animals." The Minister said, highlighting the fulfillment of all entry procedures for unloading at Iraqi ports and subsequent entry into Iraqi territory.
Al-Maliki emphasized Iraq's commitment to preventing shortages of food or agricultural commodities, focusing on safeguarding local producers' interests.
It is noteworthy that port sector officials in Cape Town, South Africa, reported a foul odor last February when the ship carrying around 19,000 livestock from Brazil docked in the city center.
The vessel, Al Kuwait, docked at Cape Town's bustling harbor to restock feed supplies during its voyage from the Port of Rio Grande in Brazil, as indicated by shipping data. The livestock had been on board for over two weeks.
At that time, inspectors from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said they discovered onboard a buildup of feces and ammonia in the tightly packed holding pens spread across multiple decks.
This had generated an "unimaginable" odor, as stated by the group in a release.
After several hours of inspection, the organization published images of cows with their coats covered in waste. Veterinarians identified several dead and injured cows, leading to the euthanization of eight animals, according to the group.
