As the Qurban Bayram, also known as Eid al-Adha, festival approaches, the entry of sacrificial animals into Istanbul has begun.
Starting from June 1, permission has been granted for the entry of sacrificial animals into Istanbul in anticipation of the upcoming religious festival. At the inspection point established at the Riva Livestock Transport Control Point on the Northern Marmara Motorway, the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture teams conducted livestock transport inspections.
During the inspection of a truck at the control point, Istanbul Agriculture and Forestry Director Ahmet Yavuz Karaca told the press that the entry of sacrificial animals into Istanbul started on June 1, according to the Sacrificial Services Notice. He added: "As of 6 p.m. today (May 31), according to the information we retrieved from the system, 28,000 animals are currently on the road. Last year, 76,000 cattle and approximately 93,000 sheep and goats were slaughtered. We expect the same numbers again. Our ministry has also announced that there is no problem regarding the sacrificial animals; we have sufficient animals."
Providing information about the inspections, Karaca continued: "Since our road controls increase, especially during the Eid period, we conduct them 24/7, 365 days a year, but we tighten them a bit more during this period due to the risk of animal diseases and damages spreading. Before June 1, we had already started our shifts to prevent illegal entries. In this context, 823 sheep, goats and 325 cattle were caught in 23 vehicles during illegal animal transport. An administrative fine of approximately TL 2.6 million ($80,600) was imposed on them and they were taken to the Tuzla Quarantine area."
Karaca explained that before transportation, animals are taken to the provincial and district agriculture directorates, where they are registered and inspected.
"They undergo health checks. Their vaccinations are verified. This then turns into a veterinary health report. The veterinary health report is issued from the system, and we can see this. In 2010, through a vote by the World Veterinary Organization, our Thrace Region, starting from the European side of Istanbul, was declared a foot-and-mouth disease-free zone. To cross to this side, animals need to meet certain conditions. What are these? Blood tests must be conducted in quarantine. We check if these tests have been done. For example, this truck came from Tokat. Blood tests were conducted, and we checked if the animals in the vehicle matched those listed in the report and if there were any health issues. After verifying all these, they can cross over."
Ahmet Yavuz Karaca also reminded citizens who will be performing the sacrificial ritual: "Currently, in Istanbul, we are also dealing with the preparations of the sacrificial animal sales and slaughtering sites. Permissions have been granted for 423 sales sites and 788 slaughtering sites as determined by the provincial and district sacrificial services commissions under the guidance of our Governor's Office. We always tell our citizens that they need to buy from licensed places and have the animals slaughtered by qualified individuals at licensed sites. If they buy from unlicensed places or have the slaughtering done by unqualified individuals at unlicensed sites, they will face administrative fines and encounter uncontrollable issues. This year, Eid al-Adha falls in the summer. The animals need to be slaughtered quickly. Even the internal organs of the carcass must be removed within 10 minutes after the slaughter. This is a very sensitive issue. Just as meat is valuable to us, it is equally valuable to harmful organic microorganisms. When citizens go to licensed places to buy animals, they will find veterinarians there. They can approach them if they see any problem."
Karaca also mentioned that information regarding sacrificial animals can be easily accessed through the "Tarım Cebimde" (Agriculture in my Pocket) mobile application. "Additionally, there is a program that they can download from iOS and Android. Once they download this, there is a section called 'ear tag inquiry.' When they enter the ear tag number in this section, they can see all the information about that animal, such as its age, gender, origin, what vaccinations have been applied, and which farm it has been on," he explained.
