Al Ghurair Foods begins construction of new poultry facility in Abu Dhabi

UAE – Al Ghurair Foods has started building a state-of-the-art hatchery and poultry processing facility in KEZAD Al Ma’mourah, Abu Dhabi. 

The facility, set on a 15.5-hectare site, will include a hatchery, processing plant, rendering plant, and an effluent treatment plant.

The hatchery will have an initial capacity to produce 10 million day-old chicks annually, while the processing unit will produce 10,000 tonnes of finished poultry products each year to cater to local demand in the UAE. 

The rendering plant, which will be among the largest privately owned in the country, will process 1,600 tonnes of protein meals and 400 tonnes of oil and fat from poultry by-products. 

These materials will be repurposed as feed for aquaculture or alternative fuels for power generation, contributing to sustainability efforts.

The project aligns with the UAE’s National Strategy for Food Security 2051, aiming to reduce reliance on imported poultry. 

The facility’s location within KEZAD provides strategic access to meet the growing demand for poultry products in the region. Once fully operational, the plant is expected to create 180 jobs.

The initiative builds on an agreement signed in April 2023 between Al Ghurair Foods and KEZAD for a 50-year land lease. 

The company has committed over US$272 million to three food processing projects in the area, including a corn starch manufacturing plant, a 60-hectare broiler farm, and a liquid eggs facility launched last year.

The company is looking to tap into the middle eastern market.

In the broader Middle East, poultry remains the most consumed meat, with consumption patterns varying significantly. 

Kuwait leads with a per capita poultry consumption of 57 kg, while Sudan records the lowest at 0.8 kg.

Saudi Arabia dominates regional poultry production, accounting for over 71% of output, with self-sufficiency levels exceeding 60% in 2022. 

The UAE, in comparison, produced 56,000 metric tons of poultry the same year and faces challenges in scaling production due to rising input costs and price controls on fresh chicken.

SDV Consulting Engineers and Al Qanater Al Thahbia General Contracting are involved in the project design and construction, with partners including Baader, Petersime, Mavitec, and Emvees providing equipment and technical expertise.

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