The Future of Local Poultry Production

The European Commission has decided to ban imports of certain meat and poultry products from Brazil effective September 8, due to the country’s failure to comply with EU standards. The decision includes a ban on imports of poultry and eggs. Brazil is one of the largest suppliers of poultry to European markets, having exported approximately 24,700 metric tons of frozen chicken breasts to Europe during the first four months of 2026. Thailand and China are expected to benefit from this decision. Saudi Arabia had previously decided to revoke the licenses of 33 poultry plants as part of its regulatory measures aimed at ensuring the quality of imported products. The Kingdom has focused on boosting its domestic poultry production, as the Saudi poultry sector is one of the fastest-growing food sectors in the region. Among the leading companies operating in this field are: National Poultry Company: It produces approximately one million chickens daily and holds nearly 25% of the market. Almarai Company: Its production stands at 300 million chickens annually, supported by investments exceeding 6 billion riyals, in addition to new expansion projects estimated at approximately 6.3 billion riyals. In Kuwait, the United Poultry Company was established in 1975, and its production plan was based on four phases, with production in the final phase reaching 2–3 million chickens per month, along with the allocation of the necessary farms for production expansion. However, the company did not complete the planned expansion phases, and the project stalled at the first phase. Additionally, approximately 100 poultry production licenses were allocated, a portion of which was assigned to one of the leading companies in the sector, while a large number of licenses remained underutilized in terms of optimal scientific and economic efficiency. I have previously addressed this topic in a number of articles. With this in mind, I hope that the relevant authorities will reconsider the mechanism for distributing plots and direct them toward existing companies capable of investing, producing, and expanding, in a way that serves the agricultural sector and food security, rather than distributing them to individuals who may lack the technical or investment capabilities necessary to achieve the desired objectives.