UAE official: Veterinary control, halal standards key in meat exports

Veterinary supervision and compliance with halal requirements play a central role in meat exports, a representative of the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Ahlam Almanaei, said at the Azerbaijan–UAE business roundtable on food and agriculture in Baku.

According to her, assessing veterinary diseases and control systems is essential during the export process to ensure that products meet the importing country's safety and regulatory standards.

"For the approval of slaughterhouses, both veterinary disease inspections and evaluations of the food safety system are conducted," she stated, noting that this comprehensive assessment is a prerequisite for market access.

She added that all relevant procedures and standards, including technical requirements for slaughter facilities and processed meat products, are published on the ministry's official website, and exporters may contact the technical team for additional guidance and clarification.

Almanaei also emphasized that the UAE applies a rapid alert system and other monitoring mechanisms to guarantee food safety in products exported to the country from Azerbaijan.