GCC Nations Strengthen Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries with $40 Billion Contribution in 2024
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations have reported substantial growth in their agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors in 2024. This development highlights the increasing significance of these sectors in bolstering food security and fostering economic diversification across the region, despite persistent environmental challenges such as limited arable land and scarce water resources.
Economic Contributions and Growth
Data from the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf indicates that the agriculture and fisheries sectors contributed approximately $40 billion to the GCC’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024. This represents a 5.1 percent increase from 2023, maintaining a stable share of 1.7 percent of the overall GDP.
Exports from these sectors rose to $7.8 billion, reflecting a 7.5 percent increase, while imports reached $38.7 billion, a rise of 10.1 percent. This growth underscores the GCC’s commitment to enhancing production efficiency and strengthening its food security framework.
Production Metrics
Indicators from the agricultural sector reveal that growth was driven by increased production in crops, livestock, and fisheries, along with stronger trade both within the GCC and externally. In 2024, total crop production in the GCC reached approximately 12.7 million tonnes, a 3.9 percent increase from the previous year’s 12.2 million tonnes. Livestock numbers also saw an increase, totaling around 42.5 million head, reflecting a growth of 3.6 percent compared to 2023.
Vegetables emerged as the leading plant product by volume, comprising 45.8 percent of total crop production in the GCC, underscoring their critical role in the region’s food supply.
Livestock Insights
In the livestock sector, sheep continued to dominate, accounting for 60.5 percent of the total livestock population, with 25.7 million head. Goats followed with around 12.5 million head, while camels and cattle numbered approximately 3.2 million and 1.2 million, respectively. Goats hold particular significance in specific GCC countries, making up 64.4 percent of total domestic livestock in Oman and 44.4 percent in the United Arab Emirates.
Key indicators in livestock production also showed positive trends. Table egg production reached around 12 billion eggs in 2024, up from 11 billion in 2023, marking an 8.4 percent increase. Saudi Arabia led this production with a 70.4 percent share, followed by Kuwait (10.8 percent), the UAE (9.4 percent), and Oman (8.2 percent).
Chicken meat production also saw substantial growth, reaching approximately 1.6 million tonnes, a 17.9 percent increase from the previous year, indicating ongoing expansion in the region’s livestock and food production chains.
Fisheries Sector Growth
The fisheries sector in the GCC experienced notable advancements, with total production reaching around 1.1 million tonnes in 2024, a 12.2 percent increase from 2023. This sector is rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing food industries in the region. The increasing focus on fisheries and aquaculture is viewed as a vital strategy for enhancing food security and diversifying local production, particularly given the GCC’s extensive coastlines and robust logistics capabilities.
Land Use and Agricultural Challenges
Data indicate that the total land area of GCC countries is approximately 2.4 million square kilometers, with agricultural land comprising only 9.2 thousand square kilometers, or 0.4 percent of the total area. This limited agricultural land reflects the geographical and environmental challenges that hinder agricultural expansion in the region. Consequently, GCC nations are prioritizing resource-use efficiency, modern agricultural technologies, and investments in protected agriculture and aquaculture.
Intra-GCC Trade Dynamics
Intra-GCC trade in agricultural products reached around $4.8 billion in 2024, up from $4.5 billion in 2023, representing a growth of 7.2 percent. Intra-GCC fish exports also increased, totaling approximately $214.4 million compared to $189.3 million the previous year, achieving a growth rate of 13.3 percent. These figures indicate a rising level of trade and food integration among GCC countries, with some member states emerging as regional logistics hubs for the re-export and redistribution of agricultural and fisheries products.
Strategic Initiatives for Agricultural Integration
The robust performance of the agriculture and fisheries sectors confirms that GCC countries are advancing in their efforts to strengthen agricultural integration. A unified strategy focusing on optimal water resource management, securing domestic food supplies, increasing production, and fostering joint projects with private-sector involvement is being implemented.
This approach is supported by several joint GCC initiatives, including the Joint Programme for Coordinating Agricultural Plans and Policies, the Joint Programme for Surveys, Utilisation and Maintenance of Natural Resources, and the Joint Programme for Food Agricultural Production. Additionally, a comprehensive set of unified agricultural laws governs various aspects of agricultural production, including seeds, fertilizers, agricultural quarantine, and the management of plant genetic resources.
As reported by famedelivered.com.
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Published on 2026-03-09 20:54:00 • By Editorial Desk
