For the first half of 2024, poultry meat production in Saudi Arabia reached 558,000 metric tons (mt).
This is a record level for the country, and amounts to a year-on-year increase of 9%, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
These figures were recently published by the Ministry of the Environment, Water, and Agriculture. Driving this impressive expansion were the implementation of effective biosecurity processes for the nation’s poultry farms, and the implementation of state-of-the-art technology in production processes.
To this end, the Agricultural Development Fund is offering financial support up to 70% for projects that employ modern technology to support the expansion of the poultry industry in Saudi Arabia.
As part of country’s ongoing Vision 2023, the Ministry had previously set the goal for Saudi Arabia to be self-sufficient in poultry meat. This target aims not only for the sector to contribute to overall national food security, but also to raise the contribution of domestic production to all goods consumed in the Kingdom, and to expand job opportunities.
According to an SPA report earlier this month, the Ministry recently hosted a workshop in Riyadh for the country’s pigeon farmers.
At the event, improved methods of production and new techniques were presented to participants. Also part of the country’s overall vision of greater food self-sufficiency through sustainable agriculture, the Ministry aims to support the expansion of domestic output to 16 million birds or 12,000mt of pigeon meat per year.
Latest figures from the statistics arm of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, FAOstat put chicken meat production by Saudi Arabia at 1.13 million metric tons. This was for 2022, the most recent year for which data have been published. Furthermore, domestic shell egg output by Saudi Arabia amounted to 375,000mt, and pigeon meat production was close to 96mt.
Other recent developments in the Saudi poultry industry
One of the Kingdom’s leading poultry companies has been granted approval by the market regulator to list its shares on the market.
For the Arabian Company for Agricultural and Industrial Investment (Entaj), the initial public offering (IPO) will amount to nine million shares, reported Arabian Gulf Business Insight. This would amount to 30% of the total issued share capital.
Based in Riyadh, Entaj is a subsidiary of Arabian Agricultural Services Company. As the result of an expansion project completed earlier this year, Entaj’s annual production has increased to 185 million birds, according to this source.
Around one month ago, the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC) acquired more than 13 million shares in MHP, the Ukraine-based agri-food company. SALIC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In the egg sector, two Saudi Arabia-based companies have signed an agreement to produce egg powder in the Kingdom.
According to SPA, the partners are Saudi-based international dairy company Almarai, and egg producers Algharbia Farms.
There is growing demand for high-quality, value-added egg products in the country. Furthermore, egg powder offers the possibility of a longer shelf life than shell eggs, without the need for refrigeration.
As with the other projects announced recently by the Ministry, the parties will use modern technology, innovation and strategic investment to diversify the nation’s economy, and boost domestic production.
Coming up next week is the Saudi Agricultural Exhibition 2024.
Held at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center on October 21-24, the event has attracted participation from 28 countries as well as 370 Saudi agricultural companies. Up to 20,000 visitors are expected at the show, which is organized by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.
