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 The USDA-FAS GAIN report TC2020-0021 issued on September 29th documents projected broiler production in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) incorporating data on imports, exports and consumption. The USDA projects a 12 percent increase in domestic production from 50,000 metric tons in 2020 to 56,000 metric tons in 2021. Total imports will decline by two percent to 400,000 metric tons. Net imports will be 352,000 metric tons given an export volume of 48,000 metric tons. Accepting a population in the UAE of 10 million, the per capita consumption of chicken will be 40.8 kg (90 lb.). This per capita consumption value may be misleading given that the UAE has a large contingent of expatriate workers from Bangladesh and Pakistan who consume chicken but are not included in the population census.
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The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority have assigned $272 million to improve agricultural production in the Emirate to include poultry. Renovation of existing facilities is in progress and a new integrated broiler enterprise is planned.
As with many nations, COVID restrictions disrupted production and consumption in early 2020, but the domestic industry is less reliant on the food service sector that uses imported chicken.
The U.S. exported 41,000 metric tons of leg quarters to the UAE during the first half of 2020 representing 17 percent of the import market. It is not anticipated that the volume of exports from the U.S. will increase due to competition from Brazil that holds 65 percent of the market and from the Ukraine, becoming more aggressive in exporting to the Middle East. Both exporters supply whole-birds in the 2.2 lb. to 2.5 lb. range with appropriate labeling, produced without animal protein or antibiotic additives in feed and slaughtered according to supervised Halal standards.
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BRF Plant in Abu Dhabi UAE |