SINGAPORE - In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, no livestock will be imported to Singapore this year for the korban ritual, or the sacrificial slaughter of livestock during Hari Raya Haji, and mosques will have to arrange for the ritual to be performed in Australia.

The meat, which is typically distributed to worshippers and the needy, will be chilled and shipped to Singapore subsequently.

Hari Raya Haji, which falls on July 31, commemorates the completion of the annual haj pilgrimage, and a key feature is the korban ritual.

Mosques will appoint and partner individual vendors who must ensure full compliance to all regulatory requirements set by the Singapore Food Agency, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) said in a statement on Monday (June 8).

Mosques will also continue with the practice of distributing a portion of the meat to low-income families within the community.

The Covid-19 pandemic makes the process of importing livestock into Singapore and organising the ritual slaughter at the mosques challenging, as this requires advanced planning and execution, Muis said.

More details on how Muslims can register for the korban will be released at the end of June.

Korban is a ritual performed on Hari Raya Haji and commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's obedience to God because of his willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail.

Last year, 3,700 sheep from Australia were shipped into Singapore for the ritual.

This year, because of the Covid-19 situation, Singaporean pilgrims will also have to defer the annual haj pilgrimage to Mecca to 2021.