Monday, May 25, 2026, 10:52 a.m
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Romania marks a first in the live animal export sector, after more than 4,000 sheep were transported by air to Algeria. The transport, carried out by a cargo plane, reached its destination in about two and a half hours, and the authorities announce that three other similar flights are already scheduled for the next period.
The announcement was made by the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority, which considers this operation an important step for strengthening commercial relations between Romania and Algeria. According to the institution, the North African state has decided that the mutton requirement for 2026, including for the Eid el-Adha holiday, will be covered exclusively from Romania.
“ANSVSA: for the first time, Romania delivers more than 4,000 sheep to Algeria with cargo planes. The first cargo air transport with Romanian sheep arrived safely from Romania to Algeria, in only two and a half hours. Three more transports are scheduled in the next period”, ANSVSA representatives sent in a message published on Facebook.
Fast shipping and important economic stake
The authorities claim that the choice of air transport reflects the positioning of Romanian sheepmeat in a premium category on the Algerian market. Compared to sea transport, which can take up to eight days, the cargo option significantly reduces the transit time and, implicitly, the stress on the animals.
The president of ANSVSA, Alexandru Bociu, emphasized the logistical importance of this operation and the impact on commercial relations between the two states.
“The use of cargo flights to import sheep from Romania places the quality of Romanian meat in a super-premium segment. I emphasize and appreciate the crucial progress in terms of logistical efficiency and safety for animals that accompany this type of transport. The sheep reach their destination in just two and a half hours, unlike a sea transport that can take up to eight days.
In other words, we have a clear confirmation of the confidence we have gained in a new market that we opened last year. Quality and sanitary-veterinary safety define this collaboration”, said the head of ANSVSA, accordingly Antenna 3 CNN.
Why does Romania export so many sheep
The first export of sheep to Algeria was carried out in 2025, after extensive sanitary-veterinary checks and authorization procedures carried out between the two states. Since then, trade between Romania and Algeria has grown rapidly.
According to ANSVSA, in the last 30 days alone, more than 600,000 sheep were exported to Algeria, transported by specially authorized ships and under strict safety conditions.
The institution also explains the reasons why Romania continues to export large volumes of live animals. “Because in Romania we don’t consume a lot of sheep meat. The average consumption is around 2.3 kg/inhabitant/year. Therefore, we have a constant overproduction.
Also, sheep raised in Romania produce meat highly appreciated in markets that traditionally consume mutton. In addition, Romania exports live sheep because it still has a low slaughtering capacity in relation to the demand on foreign markets”, ANSVSA said.
