USDA lifts Saudi Arabia chicken import forecast to 575,000 tonnes for 2027

USDA's October 2026 outlook puts Saudi Arabia's chicken meat imports at 575,000 tonnes in 2027, up from 550,000 tonnes in 2026, with Iraq rising to 525,000 tonnes and the UAE recovering to 400,000 tonnes as regional shipping normalises.

The figures come from the chicken meat trade tables of Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade, published by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service on 9 October 2026. They underline how dependent the Gulf and its neighbours remain on imported poultry: the same report puts UAE domestic production at roughly 75,000 tonnes, covering only 15-18 percent of consumption.

For Saudi Arabia, the report shows imports of 607,000 tonnes in 2024, 586,000 tonnes in 2025 and 550,000 tonnes in 2026, recovering to 575,000 tonnes in 2027. Iraq moves from 435,000 tonnes in 2026 to a forecast 525,000 tonnes in 2027. The UAE is put at 350,000 tonnes in 2026 and 400,000 tonnes in 2027, with recovery tied to normalising trade and shipping after the disruption that hit import flows through the Strait of Hormuz during 2026.

• Saudi Arabia: 607,000 t (2024), 586,000 t (2025), 550,000 t (2026), 575,000 t forecast (2027).
• Iraq: 552,000 t (2024), 492,000 t (2025), 435,000 t (2026), 525,000 t forecast (2027).
• UAE: 385,000 t (2024), 400,000 t (2025), 350,000 t (2026), 400,000 t forecast (2027).
• Little domestic offset: UAE production stays at about 75,000 tonnes, only 15-18 percent of consumption, so imports remain the primary source for retail and food service.
• Global context: world chicken meat production is forecast 2 percent higher in 2027 at 114.9 million tonnes, and global trade 3 percent higher at nearly 15.6 million tonnes - with China's exports up 25 percent and Brazil's held back by the loss of EU market access.

Read together, the numbers describe a region where demand keeps outgrowing local supply capacity, which is limited by scarce arable land and water. That keeps the Gulf structurally dependent on imported poultry, and it puts a premium on suppliers who can hold specification, certification and delivery reliability across a volatile shipping environment.

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Source: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade, chicken meat trade tables, 9 October 2026.