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

Expansion and acquisitions in UAE off-trade channels among online market players are promoting market growth

• The distribution channels in the UAE poultry meat market are dominated by the on-trade channel, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the poultry meat consumed in the region. In 2022, poultry consumption in the UAE increased by 10.69% compared to 2019. In February 2022, the UAE increased chicken imports by almost 90%, reaching 42,800 tons. Thus, the volume of local production is growing continuously Y-o-Y, as the growth of population and tourism causes higher consumption. Amidst the rising global food prices, poultry remains a comparatively cheap source of animal protein in the UAE.
• The off-trade channel is projected to be the fastest-growing distribution channel for the consumption of poultry meat in the United Arab Emirates. The off-trade channel is anticipated to register a CAGR of 1.98% by value in forecast period. Online poultry meat delivery in the UAE is expected to develop significantly over the forecast period, owing to the increasing usage of smartphone applications. This led to expansion and acquisitions in UAE off-trade channels among the online market players. Dubai-based Instashop was acquired by Germany's Delivery Hero for USD 360 million, and LuLu Hypermarket raised USD 1 billion from Abu Dhabi's ADQ to boost its online presence expansion.
• The concept of flexitarianism increased the region's demand for white, leaner meats. Thus, sales of white meat have been observing a higher share through on-trade channels. The country hosts numerous visitors annually, and many that arrive from Asian countries refrain from consuming red meat varieties like beef and pork, which drives the demand for poultry meat options in restaurants. As of 2023, 910,000 Indians visited Dubai, the highest among any country globally.

United Arab Emirates Poultry Meat Market Trends

Rising demand for local products will lead to growth in production

• In 2022, poultry production in the UAE observed a 13.07% increase from 2021 due to higher demand for the UAE chicken meat products and increasing government support. Most poultry farms in the United Arab Emirates are located in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as it accounted for more than 70% of UAE agricultural production in 2021. Due to rising input costs and a price restriction, the UAE's poultry output is expected to rise slowly over the next few years. With growing commodity costs, the business keeps consumer prices stable by cutting production costs. Consumers are becoming more conscious of good packaging claims and are actively seeking local, fresh production that contains no hormones or antibiotics and is produced directly from UAE farmers.
• The UAE poultry production depends on imports for nearly all inputs, from medicine, packaging, and equipment to feed. These substantial cost increases have challenged the production capability and reduced profitability. Higher poultry prices were registered in the country, attributed to higher input costs, eroding much of the margin gains. From September 2019 to September 2021, feed grain prices increased by 55% in the country.
• Higher input costs have been exacerbated by the UAE government, a set price ceiling or cap within local coops, and other retail establishments that sell primarily to the Emirati community. The UAE government maintains a price cap of USD 5.85 plus VAT on all fresh chicken sold within the United Arab Emirates, and retailers may not exceed this price; while the price cap is occasionally adjusted, the policy keeps production from expanding further.

Higher production costs are impacting the market prices

• The price of poultry meat in the United Arab Emirates increased by 0.96% in 2022 from the previous year. Poultry meat price is primarily driven by increasing demand and dependency on imports. The climate in the Emirates has also played a role in influencing the poultry meat price in the country. Historically, there has been a seasonal slump in demand for poultry meat in the summer, and 10% of the chicken meat sold in the Emirate is frozen.
• Following the issuing of Ministerial Resolution No. 41 of 2023 earlier in June, the Ministry of Economy authorized the price rise in March 2023. With this issue, shops in the UAE will be legally permitted to raise the price of eggs and poultry meat by up to 13%. This change in prices was a result of the demand made by retail firms to increase the prices of egg and poultry meat as the market is experiencing higher costs of manufacturing local and overseas products. In the UAE, prices are tightly controlled, and providers must obtain Ministry clearance before making adjustments. After six months, the price rise will be evaluated, and price increases may be adjusted or eliminated.
• Although the rise of the poultry farming sector is a sign of encouragement for market stakeholders, it will be challenging to scale poultry meat production in the country. The Emirate is inhospitable to most forms of agriculture because of its arid climate with nominal rainfall. In the United Arab Emirates, precipitation dropped from 70.46 mm in 2020 to 51.46 mm in 2021. Most poultry farms in the country are located in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. High dependence on a singular source will make it difficult to stabilize prices during possible economic downturns like a global recession.

United Arab Emirates Poultry Meat Industry Overview

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support