June 26, 2006

Saudi poultry industry urges government to stop cheap imports

Saudi poultry producers have urged its government to impose anti-dumping measures against foreign producers invading the local market.

Abdullah Bakar Qadi, chairman of the Saudi Society for Poultry Producers, said the country's Dh30 billion ($8.17 billion) poultry industry is at stake and government measures to stem the flood of cheap imports is critical.

The society boasts 83 percent of the local Saudi poultry production community.

Foreign producers have been flooding the markets with their products as early as 1990, with direct support from their respective governments Qadi said.

The cutthroat competition from foreign producers has forced local producers to slash production as demand for local products plummeted, he said.