The Ministry said that the aim was to protect the public health, and livestock and plant health in the Kingdom, by preventing the spread of cross-border animal and plant pests and epidemic diseases and inspecting all animal and plant consignments received. Adding that the main quarantines operating in the Hajj season are Jeddah Islamic Port, AlKhumra quarantine station, King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport in the Madina.

The Ministry affirmed that the duties of the quarantines are the examination of imported consignments of animals and animal products, collecting samples to be examined by the laboratories approved by the Ministry to ensure that they are healthy before issuing the clearance, in addition to destroying or returning imported consignments if they pose a health and epidemic threat.

The Ministry also pointed out that the General Department of Quarantines oversees all consignments, issues clearances and permits, counts daily the live livestock imported for the Hajj season, submits daily and weekly reports to the Ministry and ensures the application of the GCC Veterinary Quarantine Law and GCC Agricultural Quarantine Law and the corresponding executive regulations in the Kingdom.