DUBAI, 26th January, 2026 (WAM) -- Australian meat exports to the United Arab Emirates reached approximately AED800 million in 2025, while exports to the Middle East and North Africa recorded a new high of AED5.5 billion, reflecting growing regional demand for Australian meat.

Darren Watson, Regional Manager, Europe, Middle East and Africa at Meat & Livestock Australia, told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) during the first day of Gulfood 2026 in Dubai that the UAE represents one of the most important strategic markets for Australian red meat.

He noted that exports to the UAE totalled 316 million Australian dollars, around AED800 million, in 2025, compared to 236 million Australian dollars in 2024. Exports of Australian red meat to the Middle East and North Africa reached 2.2 billion Australian dollars during the same period.

Watson explained that Meat & Livestock Australia is among the world's leading organisations in research, development and marketing, investing around 320 million Australian dollars annually on behalf of beef, sheep and goat producers to support innovation, open new markets and build global demand for Australian red meat.

He noted that 32 Australian red meat exporting companies are participating in Gulfood 2026, across an exhibition area of approximately 720 square metres, double the space recorded in the previous edition. This, he said, reflects the strong commitment and growing interest of Australian exporters in strengthening their presence in the UAE market.

Watson added that Meat & Livestock Australia works across Gulf Cooperation Council markets, as well as wider Middle East markets including Trkiye, Iraq, Morocco, Lebanon and Jordan, in addition to expansion in the Indian subcontinent and a presence in the United Kingdom and Europe. He emphasised that Australia is among the few countries with advanced production capabilities and global standards that enable exports to more than 100 markets worldwide.

Looking ahead to 2026, Watson said the focus will be on enhancing added value and demand for high-quality meat products, noting that the UAE, with its advanced tourism sector, upscale restaurants and world-class hotels, provides an ideal environment for continued growth in demand for Australian meat.