The United Arab Emirates has increased its production of chicken to compete with European and neighboring Gulf chicken that have threaten the chicken industry in the Emirates.
High quality chicken and chicken products from the Gulf countries and cheap frozen chicken from Europe have posed a real threat to the chicken industry in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). To increase production and lower costs, several UAE companies are using hormone shots and antibiotics on chickens, which can cause cancer, sterilization, and hormone imbalance in women. Some companies have gone as far as giving chicken birth control pills so that chicken can retain water and weigh heavier. Annual consumption of chicken and eggs in the UAE is higher than the annual production. Annually, the UAE produces 26,000 tons of chicken and 252 million eggs.
However, the annual consumption of chicken is 77,000 tons and 288 million eggs. Shebil Al-Nadi, director of the Arab Chicken Production Company said before imported chicken "flooded the national market," companies in the UAE followed advanced production techniques that were consumer safe. Now, faced with stiff competition, several companies have lowered production standards in order to increase output at lower costs.
Al-Nadi said the UAE should impose taxes on imported chicken to protect the national chicken industry. Al-Nadi also called on the government to increase inspection on chicken shops to ensure that the chicken meets consumption standards.– (Albawaba-MEBG)
