The United Arab Emirates (UAE) had put an indefinite ban on all meat imports from Ethiopia starting from October 1, 2015, according to Addis Fortune.

The ban was due to a rushed order of meat for the EId ul-Adha holiday.

36 tons of sheep meat was ordered by a charity organization in UAE from seven meat processing companies, namely ELFORA Agro-Industries Plc, Luna Export Slaughter House Plc, Modjo Modern Export Abattoir Plc, Halal Food Industries Plc, HELIMEX (Hashim Ethiopian Livestock Meat Exporter), Allana Group and Abyssinia Export Abattoirs. Usually the normal sheep meat process takes 10 days, but the order came to supply in two days, General Manager of Halal Daniel Zenebe told Fortune.

Haileselassie Weres, Director of Meat and Dairy Industry Development Institute, said to find a solution to the matter Meat Inspection Directorate in the Ministry of Agriculture and Meat Producers and Exporters Association is looking forward to communicate with the relevant regulatory bodies in UAE.

UAE is Ethiopia’s largest meat export destination. The meet market accounts for 58.8 million dollars of the 93.2 million dollars earned in the past budget year. Saudi Arabia comes next accounting for 32.4 percent share, export data from Ministry of Trade shows.

Source: Addis Fortune