SYDNEY - New Zealand is the first country of preference for dairy product imports in both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a new study.
The study by Sydney research firm BIS Shrapnel, said to be the first examination of the Middle Eastern food service market, valued the markets in those countries at $US11.4 billion ($27.9 billion). Dairy products account for 14 per cent of this total.
In Saudi Arabia, New Zealand was the first overseas preference for dairy products, well ahead of the United States, the Netherlands, Australia, France and the United Kingdom.
New Zealand products were assessed as healthy, of good quality and fair price, easily available and tasty, the study said.
New Zealand was also perceived as a country of good repute, and had the advantage of offering Halal products.
In the "other products" non-dairy category, New Zealand was rated fifth behind the US, France, Australia and Sudan.
The UAE study put New Zealand ahead as the preferred supplier of dairy products by an even wider margin. Australia was second, followed by France, the US, Saudi Arabia and Holland.
New Zealand was equal fourth for "other products".
It was predicted that Middle Eastern markets would offer great rewards for foodservice suppliers over the next two years, because of high population growth, deregulation in the economy and increasing tourism.
Food service growth in Saudi Arabia was expected to be 4.7 per cent for each of the next two years, or more than double the country's forecast overall growth rate.
The UAE industry was likely to grow by 5 per cent annually.
Further studies for other Gulf states and Egypt are planned for this year.
- NZPA
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