A ministerial resolution, issued by Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, says living birds and their meat, hatching eggs and one-day chicks will now be allowed into the UAE markets.
The move is part of the ministry’s food security strategy.
Saif Mohammed Al Shara, acting Assistant Ministry Under-Secretary for Agricultural and Animal Affairs, said the lifting of the ban would increase imports of poultry products.
He noted that exponential demand for the protein-rich products has given a big boost to the local poultry industry.
Latest statistics showed that poultry farms produced 616 million table eggs and more than 28 million hatching eggs, satisfying 45% of total local demand.
”To meet growing demand for eggs, the government is approaching new market for sourcing egg imports,” he said, adding that most of the UAE’s egg supplies come from the Americas, EU and GCC.
WAM/TF/CM
