Co-Op Islami, one of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)'s leading producers of Halal frozen foods, has entered discussions with representatives from the Government of Ethiopia about opportunities to import meat for processing in the UAE.
Ethiopia already supplies meat valued at five million Emirati dirhams to the UAE every year—particularly lamb and goats—and the Government is looking for new business opportunities and partnerships.
Ethiopian Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Getachew Teklemedhin has held recent meetings with Co-Op Islami Deputy General Manager Hamid Badawa and Assistant General Manager Saleh Abdula Lootah, to discuss such opportunities.
Ethiopia is the 10th largest meat producer in the world, especially in lamb and goat meat.
The Minister told Co-Op Islami managers that Ethiopia was looking to expand its exports of live meat to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and was looking to build a potential business relationship between the Ethiopian Livestock Authority and Co-Op Islami.
Co-op Islami was set up by Dubai Cooperative Society in 1981 to provide halal meat products as per Islamic methods. Starting with frozen chicken, Co-op Islami expanded to provide burgers, sausages, kebabs and minced meat. In 1991, the Co-op Islami plant was set up in Jebel Ali Free Zone.
Co-op Islami has recently opened a distribution center in Saudi Arabia. There are plans to open more such centers in other countries in the region. Co-op. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
