Following the new restrictions on the import of Brazilian meat in the UAE, people from the food industry are worried about its lingering effects on meat prices.
Meat from the South American country is sold by leading supermarkets and is the primary ingredient of many a dish on restaurant menus here.
“Most supermarkets, fast food chains and restaurants in the UAE and others have been using Brazilian poultry. In any markets, supply and demand determines the price and definitely, meat and chicken prices will escalate in the near future,” the Khaleej Times quoted K. Muraleedharan, Chairman and MD of Southern Franchising Company Group, as saying.
Mirroring Muraleeddharan’s sentiments, Biju Koshy, MD of Tharavadu Chain of restaurants, was also quoted to habe said, “Restaurants have to get chicken from any source and our priority is availability. It does not affect our business immediately, but the rates may go up. During the festival season – Ramadan and Eid, the chicken and meat prices normally go up.”
Meanwhile ,BRF, the Brazilian company that owns one of the world’s leading producers of frozen foods and is the country’s main exporter of meat-based products, stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation and that only a small portion of Brazilian consignment is affected as per the initial investigation.
Furthermore, concerned organizations, as well as, health authorities in the region have become vigilant after reports emerged that some Brazilian meat brands have been bribing officials to pass off rotten meat into the export market.
