The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has organised two seminars in cooperation with its Azerbaijan and Kenya representative offices which aimed to provide clarity and insight on existing requirements for halal meat and tea products that are imported into the UAE.
Hosted on the sidelines of Gulfood 2018, the events were held over the course of two days, and attended by delegates from the UAE, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kenya, including representatives from agri-food companies and government export promotion agencies. The first seminar, held at the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre’s (DMCC) Tea Centre, focused on standards currently in place that apply to tea imports. Sessions covered the advantages and incentives that Dubai can offer tea manufacturers and exporters as the Middle and North Africa’s leading trade hub.
In his welcome remarks, Mr. Omar Khan, Director of International Offices at Dubai Chamber, stressed the importance of hosting events that keep agricultural exporters and producers informed and up-to-date on new rules and requirements relating to food and beverage products sold in the UAE. He pointed out that the UAE remains one of the world’s largest re-exporters of tea and noted that tea sales in the country have been growing steadily in recent years, adding that sales in this category are expected to exceed AED 1 billion by 2021.
The second seminar, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, provided useful information for exporters and producers of halal meat, as well valuable insights on Dubai’s fast-growing halal industries. Among the organisations supporting the event were the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation, Belarus Chamber of Commerce and Bel Inter Expo, Enterprise Georgia, Kiev Chamber of Commerce and Ukraine Export Promotion Office, and Stavropol Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Addressing the delegates, Mr. Khan explained that Eurasia is a market of strategic importance to Dubai Chamber, adding that the Chamber’s Azerbaijan office has engaged with key stakeholders in the region, many of whom operate within the agriculture sector and have a strong interest in exporting food and beverage products to Dubai and the wider GCC region. He noted that a large amount of the world’s halal meat products is imported to the UAE and re-exported to key markets such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia, adding that halal meat sales in the UAE are projected to reach AED 8.3 billion in 2018 and grow further to AED 10.2 billion by 2021.
Sessions were followed with business-to-business meetings where delegates discussed prospects for future partnerships and cooperation. The briefings come after the Chamber led a number of trade missions to Eurasia and Africa in recent years as part of its efforts to identify promising trade and investment opportunities for its members. Through its international offices, Dubai Chamber connects many high-potential emerging markets with Dubai. These branches offer an ideal platform for businesses to connect with each other on many import and export opportunities.
