Between 2018 and 2023, the consumption of cereals and grains in the UAE grew by 12.9%, reaching a record high of 105,000 tons. Starting in 2020, this positive trend was driven by the rising popularity of grains and instant breakfast foods, as well as the increase in the country's population (due to labor migration) and the recovery of tourist inflows.

Cereals held the largest share in the UAE's cereal and grain consumption structure, accounting for 42.2% (4.3 thousand tons) of total sales in 2022. The second most popular category was children's instant breakfasts, with a 25.5% share (2.6 thousand tons) by the end of 2022. Instant cereals were also popular, with consumption reaching 1.9 thousand tons in 2022, representing 18.8% of total consumption. Meanwhile, children's instant breakfast cereals were the fastest-growing segment in the UAE's cereal and grain market, with an average annual growth rate of 3.1% from 2018 to 2022, compared to 1.8% for cereals and 2.8% for instant porridge during the same period. Other types of cereals and grains remain niche products, with limited market share.

For decades, the UAE's cereal and grain market has been dominated by Kellogg's, which held a solid 44.0% market share by the end of 2022. Nestlé ranked second with a 28.0% share. PepsiCo (5.6%), Post Holdings (5.2%), and Malaysia's United Malayan Flour (1.7%) were also major suppliers of cereals and grains to the UAE. In 2023, the top five manufacturers accounted for 84.5% of cereal and grain sales in the UAE.

In 2022, the UAE imported 38,700 tons of cereals and grains, worth $111.1 million. Although the import volume decreased by 4.3% compared to 2021, the value increased by 1.5%. From 2018 to 2022, the country's cereal and grain imports grew at an average annual rate of 0.02% in volume and 1.7% in value.

A significant portion of the cereals and grains the UAE imports is re-exported to other countries in the region, particularly Saudi Arabia. From 2018 to 2022, the UAE's cereal and grain imports were dominated by products from the UK. In 2022, the UK exported 96,000 tons of cereals and grains to the UAE, accounting for 24.7% of the country’s total imports. India ranked second with a 15.8% share. The UAE also imported cereals from Turkey (10.2%), France (7.1%), and Bangladesh (6.2%).

In 2022, the UAE significantly increased its cereal and grain imports from Turkey (+22.8% or +731.0 tons), France (+18.8% or +436.0 tons), and Bangladesh (+19.4% or +390.0 tons), while imports from the UK (-14.6% or -1.6 thousand tons), Germany (-36.0% or -695.0 tons), and Poland (-26.1% or -390.0 tons) declined sharply.

From 2018 to 2022, the UAE imported between 0.1 and 0.2 thousand tons of Russian cereals annually. In 2022, this figure reached 0.2 thousand tons, a 20% increase, mainly from buckwheat.

In terms of value, the UAE’s primary cereal supplier in 2022 was the UK, with products valued at $38.6 million (34.7% of total imports). Other key suppliers included France (8.5%), Turkey (6.2%), India (6.1%), and the US (5.2%).

In 2022, the average import price of cereals rose by 12.4% to $1,587 per ton. The most expensive products came from France at $2,420 per ton, 52.5% higher than the average price. In contrast, the cheapest grains were from Lithuania, priced at $652 per ton, 58.9% lower than the average price.

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