A recent study by the UAE Ministry of Economy shows that the UAE’s poultry meat exports were nearly Dh40.92 million ($10.8 million) in 2015 while re-exports were worth Dh79.5 million.

The study was prepared by the ministry’s Department of Analysis, Commercial and Industrial Information. 

Primary recipients of the UAE’s poultry meat exports are Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, Qatar, Bahrain, Somalia, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

As for re-exports, Brazil ranked first at 22.4 per cent, followed by Oman, 22.3 per cent; Afghanistan, 13.4 per cent; Turkmenistan, 5.1 per cent, and the Maldives, 4.3 per cent.

The study showed the UAE imported poultry meat worth Dh2.97 billion, growing 5.9 per cent over 2014.   

Domestic production was found to account for only 11 per cent of the total consumption for 2014. A total of 24 poultry farms produced approximately 52,000 tonnes worth almost Dh592 million for the year.

The study also revealed Brazil as a major source for poultry meat in 2015, accounting for 71.5 per cent of the UAE’s imports.  The US came in second at 6.7 per cent, followed by Saudi Arabia, 5.3 per cent; Oman, 3.7 per cent, and France, 3.6 per cent.

Based on current prices, the agricultural sector formed 1 per cent of the UAE’s non-oil GDP in 2014.