May 18, 2012

 

United Arab Emirates opens door for UK beef

 

 

Opening the door for exports to Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fuhairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain, health certificates for deboned, fresh beef from the UK have been agreed.

 

The development was welcomed yesterday by Quality Meat Scotland and Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead.

 

QMS head of marketing Laurent Vernet said the opening of the market presented an exciting potential opportunity for Scotch Beef exports.

 

"Dubai itself is now being promoted as the 'highway to the world' and positioned as an economic powerhouse alongside London, New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo," said Vernet.

 

"Given the high demand for top quality food and the steak-eating culture, this market clearly offers exciting potential for our iconic Scotch Beef label with its world-leading quality assurance and global acclaim for taste."

 

Scotland's meat industry made its presence felt at last year's Gulfood event in Dubai, which attracted 75,000 delegates from 90 countries. The UAE has a population of 8.3 million, a large proportion of which is ex-pats. The region is also one of the world's fastest growing tourism destinations with nine million visitors expected to visit this year, a 9% rise on 2011.

 

UK lamb exports are already allowed to the UAE, but the market has never developed and there are no shipments from Scotland.

 

But Vernet said the opening of beef markets could well stimulate demand for Scotch Lamb.

 

Lochhead said the confirmation of veterinary protocols for deboned, fresh beef from the UK to the UAE was excellent news for Scotland's meat industry.

 

He added: "It's also good news for the people of the United Arab Emirates who will be able to enjoy quality Scotch Beef alongside the quality Scottish salmon which recent export figures show they relish.

 

"I met with Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, UAE minister of environment and water, when I was in Dubai earlier this year to press for a health certificate to be issued and it is good that the efforts made to grant us access to this market have paid dividends so quickly.

 

"The Scottish Government and its agencies work hard and place a very high importance on opening new markets and utilising all business opportunities for the Scottish food and drink sector so we can help them to continue to build on recent success and achieve the ambitious export sales target we have set."