SEVERE WINTER KILLS TWO MILLION LIVESTOCK

Ulaanbaatar, MONTSAME/ As of February 9, 2009, total livestock loss reached two million 127,393 heads nationwide due to severe winter, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry report on Thursday. Of them 188,270 were big animals (horse, cattle, camel), and one million 939,123 were small ones /goat and sheep/.
Due to a drastic drop in temperate that persisted from late 2009 into early 2010, 80% of the country's territory is covered with a snow blanket of 20-60 centimeters, and 198 soums of 19 aimags are now plagued by harsh weather condition “zud”.
The Government has appealed to the donor community for food, flour, rice, medicines and equipment, candles, heating supplies, warm clothing, as well as for funding to buy and deliver fodder for livestock.
The United Nations in Mongolia was formally requested to coordinate all donor contributions. The UN agencies and specialized agencies actively contributing to the relief efforts in Mongolia include FAO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO and UN-HABITAT.
S.Batbayar
16.15