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How to Start a Wholesale of Live Animals Business with Meydan Free Zone
The UAE is home to over 5 million head of livestock per the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre¹, yet imports more than 80 percent of the meat it consumes. That gap is your business model.
Wholesale trade in live animals is the business of sourcing, importing, and distributing livestock in bulk to farms, feedlots, slaughterhouses, and commercial buyers. The UAE meat market was valued at USD 6.90 billion in 2024, per IMARC Group².
The average resident consumes roughly 85 kilograms of meat annually, nearly double the global average². The broader Middle East meat market stood at USD 101.35 billion that same year, per Market Data Forecast³.
Over 85 percent of lamb consumed in the UAE and Saudi Arabia is imported, primarily from Australia, Sudan, and Ethiopia, as cited by the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development via Market Data Forecast³. Demand spikes during Eid al-Adha, Ramadan, and the winter wedding season, creating predictable, high-volume trading windows year-round.
From sheep and goats to cattle, camels, and poultry, the wholesale live animal trade in the UAE is structural, not seasonal, and the country's import dependency makes the intermediary role essential.
With 100% foreign ownership, zero corporate tax on qualifying income, full profit repatriation, and a license issued in under 60 minutes, Meydan Free Zone gives you a base in a market where over 80 percent of meat is imported and the demand for live animal sourcing never stops.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Livestock importers and wholesale traders | Companies sourcing live animals in bulk from international suppliers in countries like Australia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, India, and Brazil, and distributing them to UAE farms, feedlots, abattoirs, and retail buyers. |
| Livestock auction and bulk trading operators | Businesses facilitating high-volume live animal transactions through physical auction yards or digital platforms, connecting international sellers with regional wholesale buyers. |
| Specialist category wholesalers | Firms focused on wholesale trade of specific animal types such as sheep and goats for the halal supply chain, cattle for dairy and beef operations, or camels for racing and breeding programmes. |
4620.04 - Wholesale of Live Animals
Under this activity, you are in the business of buying and selling live animals in wholesale quantities. That covers sourcing, importing, and distributing livestock to commercial buyers.
You are a wholesale trader, not a farmer, breeder, or processor.
There are, however, limits. This activity covers the wholesale trade of live animals only.
It does not cover the wholesale of textile fibres.
In short: if you are wholesaling sheep, goats, cattle, camels, poultry, or any other live animals in bulk, you are in.
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Sheep and goats | Small ruminant wholesale Wholesale sourcing and distribution of sheep and goats to abattoirs, retailers, and institutional buyers across the halal meat supply chain. UAE IMPORT DEPENDENCY CONTEXT Over 85 percent of lamb in the UAE and Saudi Arabia is imported, primarily from Australia, Sudan, and Ethiopia³. Demand peaks during Eid al-Adha. |
| Cattle | Cattle wholesale and distribution Wholesale import and distribution of cattle to feedlots, dairy operations, and beef buyers across the UAE and GCC. FAMOUS UAE LIVESTOCK OPERATORS Al Dahra Agricultural Company and Ghitha Holding (Al Ain Farms Group) are among the UAE's largest livestock sourcing operators with international procurement networks. |
| Camels | Camel wholesale trading Wholesale trading of camels to buyers in racing, breeding, dairy, and meat markets. UAE CAMEL MARKET The UAE has one of the highest camel populations relative to its size in the region, with racing, breeding, and dairy driving consistent wholesale demand. |
| Poultry and other livestock | Poultry and specialty livestock wholesale Wholesale supply of live poultry, day-old chicks, and other livestock categories to commercial buyers and farming operations. UAE POULTRY DEMAND The UAE consumes over 10,000 metric tons of poultry meat per year per Research and Markets², supported by the UAE Food Security Strategy 2051. |
Third-Party Approval
No third-party approval is required for this business activity.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirements.
References
- ¹ Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC) — UAE Livestock Data (2021) — via Statista — https://www.statista.com/statistics/1379629/uae-number-of-livestock-by-type/
- ² IMARC Group — UAE Meat Market Size, Share, Trends & Forecast to 2033 — https://www.imarcgroup.com/uae-meat-market
- ³ Market Data Forecast / Arab Organization for Agricultural Development — Middle East Meat Market Size, Share and Trends 2033 — https://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/middle-east-meat-market
