SAO PAULO (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates surpassed China as the main destination for Brazilian chicken products in February, meat lobby ABPA said in a statement on Friday, citing the proximity of the Ramadan Muslim holy month as a sales driver.
In the second month of 2022, the nation increased purchases by almost 90%, reaching 42,800 tonnes. That compares with China’s imports of 42,300 tonnes, according to the most recent ABPA data.
During Ramadan, which starts this weekend, believers abstain from food and drink during daylight hours but often break their fast with a large evening meal.
The UAE is one of 58 countries which buy Brazil’s halal chicken, which requires meat to be produced following Muslim dietary requirements.
Demand from that nation highlights Brazil’s prominence as a global supplier of halal products.
“Islamic nations were the first destinations for Brazilian exports of chicken meat, in 1975,” Ricardo Santin, head of ABPA, said. “We have a solid partnership and long-term growth prospects.”
According to ABPA, halal chicken exports represented nearly half of Brazil’s overall chicken exports last year, reaching 1.915 million tonnes and generating almost $3 billion in sales.
Based on data for the first two months of the year, that segment will continue to boom, ABPA said, noting halal chicken exports rose 5.17% by volume in January and February, reaching 310,400 tonnes and raising revenue by 25% to almost $510 million in the period.
Last year, halal chicken sales to the UAE were 389,400 tonnes, corresponding to almost 9% of all Brazilian chicken exports and generating revenue of some $692 million, ABPA said.
(Reporting by Ana Mano; Editing by Alistair Bell)
