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The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture confirmed the adoption of five key initiatives that have localized the poultry industry, enhanced competitiveness and raised production efficiency across the sector. These steps produced broiler chicken output of approximately 1.4 million tons in 2026 together with more than 9 billion table eggs, the ministry stated at the conclusion of the Middle East Poultry Expo in Riyadh. The three-day event, which ran from October 4 to October 6, served as a platform to highlight private sector contributions toward food security objectives. The ministry tied the results directly to its support for national producers operating under Saudi Vision 2030 priorities.
General Authority for Statistics figures for 2023 placed poultry meat self-sufficiency at 71 percent, a level that has since advanced to the 80 percent rate now reported by the ministry for 2026. The ministry’s latest assessment also confirmed full self-sufficiency for table eggs, continuing an upward trend that industry representatives have described as doubling self-sufficiency rates over the past nine years. Abdullah Al-Sarhani, head of the poultry producers committee at the Federation of Saudi Chambers, noted that the sector contributes between 30 billion and 35 billion Saudi riyals to gross domestic product each year.
The ministry outlined the first initiative as implementation of the Saudi GAP standard to embed quality practices among suppliers and throughout supply chains. A second measure transferred import permit authority from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority to the ministry to streamline procedures and improve regulation of supply and demand. The third established an alliance of 19 national companies, supported by the National Program for the Development of the Livestock and Fisheries Sector, to advance genetic assets for both broiler and layer poultry through research partnerships. Two further initiatives focused on localizing vaccine production and enabling Avigen Arabia’s investment of more than 200 million dollars to yield 15 million parent chicks annually.
The ministry announced the launch of the 2026 Poultry Excellence Award during the expo to honor pioneers, companies and partners in five categories that include biosecurity leadership and excellence in production. This program forms part of the ministry’s wider push to recognize achievements that strengthen the sector’s role in national food security. The event itself reinforced coordination between government and industry to expand capacity while maintaining high operational standards.
Al-Sarhani told local media that broiler production now meets roughly 86 percent of domestic needs with whole chicken output exceeding full requirements, figures that align with the ministry’s self-sufficiency data. He added that egg production has reached between 112 percent and 115 percent of local demand, creating a strategic reserve that has prompted discussions on reducing imports to favor domestic suppliers. Annual demand growth of approximately 5 percent continues to shape planning across the sector, according to the committee head.
The ministry stated that the initiatives have improved feed conversion ratios and reduced energy consumption per unit produced, gains that support long-term sustainability amid regional supply challenges. Such efficiencies complement the kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 targets for agricultural localization and reduced import dependence. The ministry indicated that continued collaboration with private operators will remain central to sustaining these production levels in future years.
