The boundaries of the Center East Area are usually not precisely outlined. Underneath the time period Close to East, it was used within the late many years of the 19th century primarily below strategic points inside the British Commonwealth. To start with of the 20th century, the time period was changed by Center East.
Hans-Wilhelm Windhorst – The writer is Professor emeritus of the College of Vechta and visiting professor on the College of Veterinary Drugs Hannover, Germany
Presently 17 international locations belong to the area. In most international locations, Arabic is the official language, however Persian, Turkish and Hebrew are official languages in Iran, Turkey and Israel. In 2020, 453 million folks lived within the 17 international locations, 5.7% of the worldwide inhabitants. The financial energy of the international locations differs significantly. The best per capita Gross Home Product in 2020 had Qatar with 52,146 US-$, adopted by Israel with 43,698 US-$ and the United Arab Emirates with 31,982 US-$, the bottom Yemen with solely 620 US-$. Earlier than oil and fuel sources have been developed, the financial energy of most international locations was very low, however with the exploitation of the large sources, the financial and political energy and affect of the international locations, which had entry to the sources, grew significantly. The political scenario inside the area has been very unstable for many years. Non secular variations and the geopolitical pursuits of the USA, Russia and China are the principle steering components behind the lasting navy conflicts. Regardless of these issues, the poultry business performed an essential function.
In two papers, the patterns of the egg and poultry meat industries will likely be analysed. The 17 MEA international locations shared 3.7% of the worldwide laying hen stock and 4.0% of worldwide egg manufacturing. Their function in international egg commerce was much more essential. In 2020, they contributed 11.5% to the worldwide egg exports and shared 15.8% in imports. The precise climatic scenario, which limits the manufacturing of poultry feed, explains their outstanding function in egg commerce. Within the second paper, patterns of the poultry meat manufacturing and commerce will likely be analysed.
Excessive regional focus in laying hen stock
In 2020, 301.3 mill. laying hens or 3.7% of the worldwide stock have been stored within the 17 MEA international locations. The regional focus was very excessive as is documented in Determine 1. Turkey ranked in an unchallenged first place with a share of 40.7% within the complete stock of the area, adopted by Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia; the 4 international locations collectively contributed 80.1%. Layer flocks have been smallest in Qatar and Bahrain (Desk 1).
Excessive regional focus additionally in egg manufacturing
The rating of the international locations in response to their egg manufacturing displays, as was to be anticipated, that of the laying hen inventories (Determine 2). There’s one deviation, nonetheless, Israel. Israel’s manufacturing is way larger than that of Kuwait regardless of their nearly similar inventories. Clearly, there’s a statistical error for Jordan, because the manufacturing quantity is wrong within the database. In 2020, the typical laying charge in Israel was 267eggs per hen and yr. In Turkey and Egypt, the effectivity was significantly decrease with 167 egg respectively 215 eggs. Whereas in Israel solely hybrid hens have been stored in battery programs, in most different international locations beside such environment friendly breeds and housing programs, small yard flocks with regional breeds have been additionally in manufacturing. A comparability of the international locations’ shares within the complete laying hen stock and in egg manufacturing reveals the variations within the effectivity of the manufacturing programs. 
Inadequate manufacturing compared to demand in most international locations
A comparability of egg manufacturing and egg commerce at nation stage reveals (Desk 1) that excluding Turkey and Iran all different MEA international locations weren’t capable of meet the home demand and needed to import eggs. 
Turkey has turn out to be one of many main egg exporting international locations over the previous decade and in 2020 ranked in second place behind the Netherlands with a share of 10.5% within the international export quantity. The United Arab Emirates and Oman export a few of their imports to different international locations within the area. The best provide deficits in 2020 confirmed the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Qatar, Iraq and Oman. In these international locations, eggs are of rising significance within the provide of the inhabitants with high-quality proteins. A more in-depth evaluation of the patterns of poultry meat manufacturing and commerce will reveal an analogous scenario. As no spiritual boundaries prohibit the consumption of eggs and poultry meat, these two gadgets are enjoying an essential function not solely in manufacturing and consumption but additionally in commerce.
Patterns of commerce flows
For chosen international locations, the commerce flows of egg exports and imports will likely be analysed intimately. As talked about earlier than, Turkey ranked in second place behind the Netherlands in international egg exports. In 2020, the nation exported nearly 218,000 t to 41 international locations. Determine 3 paperwork that 4 international locations obtained 68.9% of the general exports, with Syria in an unchallenged first place. It’s value noting that the ten main international locations of vacation spot have been all Islamic international locations. Clearly, beside faith, distance performed an essential function. All main importing international locations might be reached through truck transport, an essential steering issue as eggs can’t be deep-frozen and have a comparatively quick shelf life. 
In 2020, the United Arab Emirates ranked in seventh place among the many main egg importing international locations with a share of 4.7% of the worldwide imports. With over 100,000 t, the Emirates shared 29.8% within the general import quantity of the MEA area. Desk 2 paperwork that Turkey and the Ukraine have been the 2 main international locations of origin with a contribution of collectively 82.1%, adopted by the USA and Russia. Transportation distance clearly performed an essential function within the spatial sample of the commerce move.
Saudi Arabia’s commerce sample differs from that of the United Arab Emirates even if Ukraine and Turkey are the 2 main international locations of origin. In distinction, 4 EU (27) member international locations rank in third to sixths place, sharing collectively 28.8% of the general import quantity (Desk 3). 
The sample of Israel’s egg imports displays the political rigidity with the adjoining Islamic international locations. Regardless of the shorter transportation distance, Turkey doesn’t export eggs to Israel. Desk 4 reveals that excluding Ukraine, EU (27) member international locations and the USA have been the main international locations of origin, international locations with shut political relations. 
Abstract and views
The previous evaluation documented the patterns of laying hen husbandry, egg manufacturing and egg commerce within the MEA area. The regional focus as nicely within the laying hen stock as in egg manufacturing was very excessive. 4 international locations dominate the egg business, Turkey, Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Aside from Turkey, Iran and Egypt all different international locations couldn’t meet the rising demand by home manufacturing and needed to import eggs. Solely Turkey performed an essential function in egg exports. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Qatar, Iraq and Oman have been the main egg importing international locations. Many of the eggs have been traded inside the MEA area, solely Ukraine and a few EU (27) member international locations imported eggs into the area. Due to the lasting political and navy conflicts between Israel and a number of other Islamic international locations, Israel holds a particular place within the commerce patterns.
The egg deficit within the MEA area will enhance in future due to a quick rising inhabitants and a better buying energy of a widening center class. Though Turkey will stay the principle egg provider beside Ukraine, new markets might develop for some EU (27) member international locations.
Information supply
FAO database: https://www.fao.org/faostat.
