GCC Demand for Russian Meat and Poultry Grows

In recent years, Russia has increased its commercial presence in the GCC market. For example, the Russian Food House opened in Dubai in 2019. It serves as a lever to promote Russian food in the United Arab Emirates, the GCC, and the MENA region.

The Russian Food House is a demonstration and tasting pavilion where exporters can display their samples, while visitors to the pavilion, including major retailers, distributors, and wholesalers interested in HoReCa, can learn more about Russian products.

exhibitors have to meet the highest quality requirements. The range includes groceries, confectionery, cereals, dairy products, and many other categories. Among the most popular are Russian poultry and meat, which are increasingly in demand in the GCC region.

The Russian Federation has increased its meat and poultry exports, with more than 65 countries now receiving their meat. In 2021, the export of Russian meat grew by 30 percent. The GCC region has emerged as one of the largest importers, with regional imports growing to US$113 million in 2021, more than double in 2020 when they were US$47 million. In the second place, for example, is Saudi Arabia, whose beef import rate rose by 41,
percent to $21 million.

The growth in demand is due to several reasons, most notably the rise in meat prices around the world, which made Russian products more competitive in these markets. Another factor is the high quality of the products, which are appreciated and appreciated by local customers and consumers.

However, access to the GCC market is not always easy due to the high standards, especially for food and meat. Russian companies have learned to master this challenge by adapting their production and business processes and obtaining the necessary certifications. While Russia is not necessarily viewed as a halal food producer, with 1.215 million Muslims living in Russia, there is significant demand for such products. In the past three years, the country has almost doubled its halal exports to the GCC, reaching US$180 million, with poultry at US$96 million and beef at US$26 million. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have become major importers of Russian halal food.

Several meat and poultry producers have started production under Halal standards labels. A major Russian meat producer and exporter, Miratorg, took a stake in Gulfood and gained a positive image among local buyers. Now the company is on the way to new deals and plans to expand its presence in the region.