Middle East: Fresh Pork Cut Market 2025

Fresh Pork Cut Market Size in the Middle East

The Middle Eastern fresh pork cut market rose modestly to $X in 2022, surging by 3.8% against the previous year. Overall, consumption, however, recorded a remarkable increase. The level of consumption peaked at $X in 2020; however, from 2021 to 2022, consumption failed to regain momentum.

Fresh Pork Cut Production in the Middle East

In value terms, fresh pork cut production expanded modestly to $X in 2022 estimated in export price. Over the period under review, production, however, continues to indicate a perceptible decrease. The level of production peaked at $X in 2014; however, from 2015 to 2022, production failed to regain momentum.

Iran (X tons) constituted the country with the largest volume of fresh pork cut production, accounting for 91% of total volume. Moreover, fresh pork cut production in Iran exceeded the figures recorded by the second-largest producer, Lebanon (X tons), more than tenfold.

In Iran, fresh pork cut production remained relatively stable over the period from 2012-2022.

Fresh Pork Cut Exports

Exports in the Middle East

In 2022, overseas shipments of fresh or chilled hams, shoulders and cuts of pig meat decreased by -26.8% to X tons, falling for the second year in a row after two years of growth. Over the period under review, exports saw a noticeable reduction. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2019 with an increase of 394% against the previous year. The volume of export peaked at X tons in 2015; however, from 2016 to 2022, the exports remained at a lower figure.

In value terms, fresh pork cut exports expanded slightly to $X in 2022. Overall, exports continue to indicate a abrupt decrease. The pace of growth was the most pronounced in 2019 when exports increased by 350%. The level of export peaked at $X in 2015; however, from 2016 to 2022, the exports stood at a somewhat lower figure.

Exports by Country

The United Arab Emirates represented the key exporter of fresh or chilled hams, shoulders and cuts of pig meat in the Middle East, with the volume of exports accounting for X tons, which was near 77% of total exports in 2022. Turkey (X kg) took a 13% share (based on physical terms) of total exports, which put it in second place, followed by Lebanon (9.4%).

The United Arab Emirates was also the fastest-growing in terms of the fresh or chilled hams, shoulders and cuts of pig meat exports, with a CAGR of -3.3% from 2012 to 2022. Lebanon (-10.6%) and Turkey (-29.8%) illustrated a downward trend over the same period. From 2012 to 2022, the share of Turkey and the United Arab Emirates increased by +13 and +11 percentage points, respectively.

In value terms, the largest fresh pork cut supplying countries in the Middle East were the United Arab Emirates ($X), Turkey ($X) and Lebanon ($X).

Turkey, with a CAGR of -13.7%, recorded the highest rates of growth with regard to the value of exports, in terms of the main exporting countries over the period under review, while shipments for the other leaders experienced a decline in the exports figures.

Export Prices by Country

The export price in the Middle East stood at $X per ton in 2022, picking up by 43% against the previous year. Overall, the export price, however, showed a abrupt decline. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2016 when the export price increased by 67%. Over the period under review, the export prices reached the peak figure at $X per ton in 2014; however, from 2015 to 2022, the export prices stood at a somewhat lower figure.

There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major exporting countries. In 2022, amid the top suppliers, the country with the highest price was Turkey ($X per ton), while Lebanon ($X per ton) was amongst the lowest.

From 2012 to 2022, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Turkey (+23.0%), while the other leaders experienced a decline in the export price figures.

Fresh Pork Cut Imports

Imports in the Middle East

In 2022, imports of fresh or chilled hams, shoulders and cuts of pig meat in the Middle East reduced to X tons, with a decrease of -7.3% compared with the previous year. In general, imports, however, showed prominent growth. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2017 when imports increased by 725% against the previous year. The volume of import peaked at X tons in 2018; however, from 2019 to 2022, imports stood at a somewhat lower figure.

In value terms, fresh pork cut imports expanded rapidly to $X in 2022. Overall, imports, however, recorded prominent growth. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2017 with an increase of 1,254% against the previous year. The level of import peaked at $X in 2020; however, from 2021 to 2022, imports stood at a somewhat lower figure.

Imports by Country

In 2022, Qatar (X tons) represented the major importer of fresh or chilled hams, shoulders and cuts of pig meat, constituting 60% of total imports. It was distantly followed by the United Arab Emirates (X tons), Lebanon (X tons) and Bahrain (X tons), together creating a 39% share of total imports.

Imports into Qatar decreased at an average annual rate of -4.8% from 2012 to 2022. At the same time, Lebanon (+58.7%) and the United Arab Emirates (+4.0%) displayed positive paces of growth. Moreover, Lebanon emerged as the fastest-growing importer imported in the Middle East, with a CAGR of +58.7% from 2012-2022. By contrast, Bahrain (-6.5%) illustrated a downward trend over the same period. Qatar (+60 p.p.) and Lebanon (+9.9 p.p.) significantly strengthened its position in terms of the total imports, while the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain saw its share reduced by -21.9% and -37.1% from 2012 to 2022, respectively.

In value terms, Qatar ($X) constitutes the largest market for imported fresh or chilled hams, shoulders and cuts of pig meat in the Middle East, comprising 81% of total imports. The second position in the ranking was taken by the United Arab Emirates ($X), with an 8% share of total imports. It was followed by Bahrain, with a 5.6% share.

From 2012 to 2022, the average annual growth rate of value in Qatar stood at -1.7%. In the other countries, the average annual rates were as follows: the United Arab Emirates (+1.8% per year) and Bahrain (-4.0% per year).

Import Prices by Country

In 2022, the import price in the Middle East amounted to $X per ton, picking up by 17% against the previous year. Import price indicated a strong increase from 2012 to 2022: its price increased at an average annual rate of +5.6% over the last decade. The trend pattern, however, indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded throughout the analyzed period. Based on 2022 figures, fresh pork cut import price decreased by -14.2% against 2020 indices. The pace of growth was the most pronounced in 2013 when the import price increased by 65%. The level of import peaked at $X per ton in 2020; however, from 2021 to 2022, import prices failed to regain momentum.

There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major importing countries. In 2022, amid the top importers, the country with the highest price was Qatar ($X per ton), while the United Arab Emirates ($X per ton) was amongst the lowest.

From 2012 to 2022, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Qatar (+3.3%), while the other leaders experienced mixed trends in the import price figures.

Source: IndexBox Platform

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