July 24, 2006

UAE's meat finds itself priced out of local market

In Abu Dhabi, one of the largest states of the UAE where 70 percent of the country's wealth is concentrated, no local meats are sold in the supermarkets, not even meat from nearby regions.

Supermarkets say local meats are much more expensive than the alternatives: imported meats from Australia and Brazil. The closest some supermarkets have to regional meat is meat from Pakistan.

Australian topside steak sold at supermarkets costs about US$7.90/kg in the country while Brazilian sirloin steak is about US$7.35/kg.