Somalia’s livestock exports are receiving a boost from fading Australian and Sudanese competition, which could help drive its shipments above $1 billion this year.
The increase in Somalia’s livestock exports can be attributed to Sudan facing conflict and Australia reducing exports, allowing Somalia to take advantage of the situation.
Somalia ships off between four million and six million head of livestock to the Middle East every year, with the animals becoming the country’s most important export despite ongoing conflict and periodic droughts.
Somalia’s livestock exports are receiving a boost from fading Australian and Sudanese competition, which could help drive its shipments above $1 billion this year.
The Horn of Africa nation has seen its earnings from livestock exports climb from $523 million in 2021 to $974 million last year, according to government data, and that trend is expected to continue.
“This increase can be attributed to two main factors — first, Sudan, once a major livestock-exporting country, is currently facing conflict. Secondly, Australia, another key supplier to Gulf countries, has reduced exports,” said Qaasim Abdi Moallim, director of animal health at Somalia’s livestock ministry. “This allowed Somalia to take advantage of the situation and accelerate its livestock exports.”
Being across the gulf for key markets including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia also worked in Somalia’s favor, he said
Australia’s live-export trade has plunged in recent years as it moves toward completely halting sea shipments of sheep by May 2028. It exported 652,000 of them by sea in 2022-23, from 5.9 million two decades ago, according to government data.
Somalia says it’s also captured a big share of the Gulf markets previously served by Sudan, where two years of civil war have decimated the economy. Saudia Arabia alone took $715 million of live animals in 2023, when conflict erupted, according to a report by the Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker.
Mired in its own unrest for more than three decades, Somalia has a livestock population of 57 million animals, according to Agriculture Minister Mohamed Abdi Hayir. It ships off between four million and six million head of livestock to the Middle East every year, he said.
The animals have become Somalia’s most important export, despite the ongoing conflict and periodic droughts. The $1 billion of expected sales this year surpass the government’s domestic revenue of about $430 million, according to finance ministry estimates. In total, the nation budgets to spend $1.36 billion this year, largely financed by donor money
by Bloomberg
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