Uruguay opens a new market in the Middle East to export cattle on the hoof

Uruguay has received authorization to export live horses, equine semen, and bovines for reproduction to Qatar, following intensive negotiations initiated in February 2022. This agreement taps into the Qatari market's demand for live horses and bovines, supported by the country's high income, low unemployment, and modern livestock handling facilities. Qatar, known for its wealth and high living standards, currently sources live cattle from Brazil and large numbers of sheep from Australia. This new agreement is anticipated to boost Uruguay's agricultural trade, positioning it as a prominent supplier of quality agricultural products globally.

“As of today, our country is formally authorized to export the following products to Qatar: live horses, equine semen and bovines for reproduction,” said the MGAP. This measure “is the result of intense negotiations that Uruguay has been carrying out for several months” with the aim of facilitating the export of live horses and bovines to this important market. The negotiations were initiated with the visit of Fernando Mattos to Qatar in February 2022 and continued with the competent minister during the OMSA in Paris (May 2024). The final decision was confirmed after the recent visit of high-ranking Qatari authorities, which took place in September of this year, and the efforts made by the Directorate of Livestock Services (DSA/DGSG) and the International Affairs Unit (UAI), with the fundamental support of the foreign ministry teams and the Uruguayan Ambassador in Qatar. Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world and has the highest quality of life and per capita income, ...