Ethiopia is one of the top countries for camel slaughtering. It was ranked at number 5 in 2019 in camel meat production. Saudi Arabia topped the list. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are among the top destinations for Ethiopian meat exports. A significant amount of meat products is also exported to Qatar, Bahrain, and Vietnam. But Ethiopia has been exporting mainly goat meat to Middle Eastern countries…
Two slaughterhouses in Ethiopia got approval to export camel meat to Saudi Arabia in recent years. These are Akseker Ethiopia Casing PLC in Modjo, Oromia, and Frigorifico Boran Food PLC in Adamituiu, Oromia. The list of govt-approved establishments for the export of camel meat and its products to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was updated on 26th September 2023. Ethiopia’s camel export revenue jumped from just USD 1.4 million in 2020 to nearly USD 2.8 million in 2021– a staggering 95.79 percent increase. Mainly Ethiopia has been exporting live camels.
Reportedly an Ethiopian slaughterhouse started exporting camel meat to Saudi Arabia for the first time this month. The slaughterhouse claims that it is sending around 60,000 kg of camel meat to Saudi Arabia, Demand for camel meat in Saudi Arabia is expected to grow in the coming years. Camel meat is getting more popular in Saudi Arabia because it is one of the healthy and nutritious food sources.
Ethiopia has the potential to become a major player in the global camel meat market. However, there are still some challenges for Ethiopia to overcome, such as a lack of certifications and international standards. Ethiopians also do informal cross-border livestock exports that contribute to price escalation in domestic markets.
