Low poultry supply forces price hikes in Qatar

The price of poultry products in Qatar is rising categorically, due to a severe shortage in supply and the inability of local farms to meet the growing demand, according to local media source, The Penninsula.

Over the past few weeks, prices of frozen chicken have increased by 20-30%, after an increase in prices in the international market. There was a severe shortage of fresh chicken in the local market after Saudi Arabia, the major exporter of poultry products to the country, imposed a ban on exports. The ban is going to be removed but industry sources believe that prices of imported and local varieties will go up shortly as dealers await approval from the authorities.

“Now we are getting limited stocks of fresh chicken from Saudi Arabia after the country relaxed the ban. Local poultry products meet hardly 10% of our demand,” an official of a leading hypermarket said. Adding that despite a shortage in supply, prices of fresh chicken had not increased considerably because the authorities had not given a permission until now.

Eggs prices have also risen. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the two major exporters of egg to Qatar and all their popular brands have increased their prices recently.

According to official data, local farms are capable to meet only 30% of the demand for poultry products, forcing the country to rely on imports. The Qatar Meat and Livestock Company, Mawashi, recently announced plans to enter the poultry business in a big way, with claims to fully meet the local requirements for chicken and other products.