KUWAIT CITY, Nov 25: The Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fisheries has renewed its call to shut down the current bird market and relocate it to a site that meets health, safety, and biosecurity standards, citing mounting risks to public health.

Asma Al-Otaibi, Deputy Director of the Authority for the Livestock Sector, stressed that the market “is witnessing a clear deficiency in oversight and a weakness in the application of laws, in addition to the spread of unhealthy practices that pose a risk to public health.”

She said that inspection teams had carried out several campaigns in recent months, resulting in the closure of shops violating regulations and action against street vendors. However, she warned that “these efforts, despite their importance, are still insufficient to contain the violations.”

Al-Otaibi added that the market’s current conditions raise concerns about potential disease transmission due to poor animal handling and inadequate hygiene levels. She stressed the need to establish an alternative location that ensures a clean and safe environment for the sale of all types of birds while supporting hobbyists within a framework that adheres to public health requirements.