The Nigerian livestock sector has brokered a new deal between Jurassic Abattoir Commodities Development Initiative, (CDI), and the Saudi Agriculture and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC), for Saudi Arabian red meat market penetration worth $273 million (N451 billion).
  
Managing Director of P and I Energy Consult, owners of Jurassic Abattoir and Ranch, Dr Anyebe Idoga, said the agreement aims to provide business access to the Saudi Arabian market for red meat. 
  
Speaking at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the weekend in Abuja, he noted that under the agreement, Jurassic Abattoir would produce high-quality bovine and ovine meat products, while CDI would provide off-take and market access to the Saudi market, working with the Saudi Agriculture and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC), and private meat importers in Saudi Arabia. 
  
Idoga said: “This partnership is timely and in the nation’s interest, as we work in partnership with the federal and state governments to harness the necessary investments in infrastructure and systems that will enable us to access the global market, starting with the Saudi Arabia market.”
  
Managing Director of CDI, Roland Oroh, said the CDI established the Nigeria Red Meat Partnership to coordinate private sector investments in the meat supply chain for efficient access to the Saudi and other markets and is working with stakeholders such as the Animal Husbandry Services (AHS) and the Veterinary and Pest Control Services (VPCS) departments, among others.
  
According to Oroh, “This investment will add to the national capacity to produce high-quality meat for export, and we are glad to be part of this process from the beginning.”