The United Arab Emirates authorities have lifted the ban on the import of French poultry, which took effect as a precautionary measure on the 26th February 2006 after a case of bird flu was reported on a turkey farm in eastern France.
Today French poultry is back on the UAE market as the fear of bird flu has been wiped out. As done in the past, all French poultry consignments imported into the UAE will be accompanied by health certificates.
The lift of the ban will have a most important impact on the French poultry industry for which the Middle East represents a key market. Furthermore, France is a historic chicken supplier for the Middle East, appreciated for the quality and freshness of its products. Now consumers and professionals will be able to enjoy the excellence of French poultry again.
France is the world's third largest exporter of agribusiness products. With nearly €39 billion turnover, the French agribusiness ranks just behind the US and the Netherlands. The poultry production and export industry plays an important role in French economy with an overall production of 2 million tons in 2004, it is the number one producer in Europe and the 4th largest in the world.
France is the 4th food provider of the Middle East and the 1st European one. Main French products exported to the UAE are poultry, dairy products. In 2004, these three sectors represented 45% of French Agribusiness exports to the UAE. France is the 3rd UAE supplier for poultry.
For several generations, France has been a privileged supplier of poultry products to the Middle East. Due to its technical expertise and its export experience, French poultry is guaranteed to be Halal compliant. Throughout the Middle East generations of consumers and professionals have enjoyed and appreciated French chicken, which has always adapted itself to the cultural and culinary habits of the countries to which it exports.
In the Middle East, poultry is in high demand representing 46% of meat sales in volume for the United Arab Emirates alone. The Middle East’s socio-economic context is very promising for poultry meat consumption, which has already increased by 17% from 1997 to 2003, due to:
• An increase of global consumption linked to the population’s growth combined with high disposable incomes and a growing taste for the western – style products
• Moreover, the Middle East has the world’s best growth in the tourism sector with ambitious objectives (+36 million visitors for 2010 ; + 69 million visitors for 2020)
• The retail environment is rapidly changing with higher competition and larger shopping areas.
Despite the increase of the local production, GCC countries continue to rely on massive imports to cover the increasing population’s needs. The increase in poultry consumption (+3.5% hence + 180,000 tec in 2004) in the Middle East (2nd import zone worldwide) induced an important increase of imports (+7.3% in 2004 i.e. 76,000 tec). The annual consumption per inhabitant ranks alongside some of the highest in the world. The Middle East represents 15% of worldwide imports.
French Chicken producers guarantee the delivery of 100% healthy chicken to the final consumer. Because nutrition is a key element to a high quality product, French chicken producers manage their own animal feeding production sites. Today, all French poultry benefits from a 100% vegetal diet with vitamins & minerals made up essentially of cereals. For over 40 years, French poultry has received no growth hormones, no antibiotics and no animal flours which have all been completely banned from poultry nutrition.
The French Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries plays a key role in the Food Sanitary Security policy. Both European and French directives concerning poultry breeding are incredibly advanced and demanding, guaranteeing the consumer an optimum level of quality, health and taste. Priority is given to hygiene and health throughout the whole chain of production from breeding conditions to slaughter. Moreover, French poultry plants have an industrial production organisation ensuring the integrity of the cold chain process, the rapid loading and transportation of the products, and their traceability.
In addition to the reactivity and efficiency of French authorities to contain the case of avian influenza, the strict breeding conditions and sanitary requirements applied to French poultry products, as well as an efficient industrial production organization, clearly contribute to the reinstatement of French poultry imports to the UAE.
© 2006 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
