United Arab Emirates Red Meat - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

The United Arab Emirates Red Meat Market size is estimated at 804 million USD in 2025, and is expected to reach 874.7 million USD by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 1.70% during the forecast period (2025-2030).

The country is striving to increase the domestic production of red meat

• Mutton is the most-consumed meat type in the market, which is also anticipated to record the fastest CAGR of 3.19% by value from 2023 to 2029. This is majorly due to lamb meat being the prime choice for most consumers in the country. UAE's harsh climate, limited arable land, and high feed prices are hindering the production of livestock in the country. Hence, a majority of the red meat is imported into the country.
• Among all the types, beef is the second most consumed meat type in the market with its increased share, and it is also anticipated to maintain a major share by the end of the forecast period. This is also substantiated by the increased beef production, which has been registered to be almost 35% of all the meat produced in the country. Also, beef remains a comparatively cheap source of protein in the United Arab Emirates. As of 2022, beef prices were around 29% cheaper compared to mutton.
• The other meat segment includes camel, rabbit, and horse. This segment is anticipated to register a CAGR of 2.30% by value during the forecast period. This is mainly due to the increasing consumption of camel meat in the country. Camel meat remains a popular delicacy and is served to commemorate significant occasions such as Eid and National Day.
• The United Arab Emirates launched the National Dialogue for Food Security in 2023 to reduce imports, improve sustainability, and improve the income of UAE farms without compromising food trade. The first phase of this project includes red meat. Gene editing, bio-engineering, and smart tech to monitor cattle more closely are being used to increase meat production to keep up with consumer demand and close the food price gap.

United Arab Emirates Red Meat Market Trends

Adoption of strategies to increase the commercialization of livestock will propel the production

• The production of beef in the UAE showed growth at a rate of 4.98% from 2021 to 2022. The increase in supply can primarily be attributed to a growth in the number of slaughtered cattle and buffaloes for meat. In 2020, 74,638 cattle heads were slaughtered for beef production in the UAE, which increased by 2.94% in 2021 to 76,833 cattle heads. With the increase in local production, the country has decreased the imports of live cattle. In 2021, the import of live cattle had a trade value of USD 5.88 million, a decrease of 65.7% from USD 17.756 million in 2020.
• Local beef producers are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with the import of premium beef varieties from other countries, which are 150% to 180% priced higher than normal quality. Consumers in the UAE are known for prioritizing quality over cost for many products. The food service sector in the UAE is willing to pay a higher price for these imports due to their much higher consumer demand.
• Cattle farming in the UAE has struggled to scale over the years, mainly due to the scarcity of water resources, arable land, and high production costs. In 2021, the number of cattle in the UAE was 112,370. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment is concentrating on formulating strategies for commercializing livestock in order to increase its contribution to the national economy and close the food deficit. This can be accomplished by developing and implementing integrated strategies for livestock protection and development, increasing biosecurity rates, developing and implementing disease and epidemic prevention and monitoring programs, and improving inspection and control mechanisms and standards on local farms and points of entry.

Market is observing a growing demand for premium beef owing to rising disposable incomes

• The price of beef in the United Arab Emirates has increased at a rate of 0.96% than the previous year, reaching USD 3,762 per ton in 2022. Beef prices in the country primarily depend on the rise in consumption during specific times of the year (like festivals) and growing tourism in the country.
• The increase in demand for more high-quality varieties of beef has also affected the price of beef in the United Arab Emirates. Premium beef types such as Australian A5 Wagyu, Japanese Wagyu, and Japanese-branded Kobe beef are very popular in the country. These types of beef are available only in premium restaurants due to their high price and supreme quality. In 2021, high-grade Japanese Wagyu beef cost as much as USD 441 per pound, or up to USD 300 for a steak cut. The rising demand for these prime beef varieties from Japan has drastically increased their import to the United Arab Emirates. In 2021, the United Arab Emirates' frozen beef imports from Japan increased by 126% compared to 2020.
• For the last eight years, Australia's top 20 most lucrative beef export destinations have continuously included the United Arab Emirates. On the strength of increasing exports, the price of beef in Australia rose to USD 442/100 kg in October 2022, an increase of 5.3% week-over-week and 5.1% year-over-year (y-o-y). Due to the price-sensitive nature of the business, India and Brazil have historically dominated the UAE's beef import quantities. However, due to faster economic growth brought on by high urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and growing tourism, Western-style culinary services have expanded quickly in the last ten years. As a result, more premium beef grades and cuts are now in demand.

United Arab Emirates Red Meat Industry Overview

The United Arab Emirates Red Meat Market is fragmented, with the top five companies occupying 16.47%. The major players in this market are Albatha Group, BRF S.A., Siniora Food Industries Company, Tanmiah Food Company and The Savola Group (sorted alphabetically).

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• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
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