CEVA & Saudi Arabia collaborates to transform veterinary medicine. (Image credit: Arab news)

Saudi Arabia has taken a major step towards strengthening its animal health sector through a new partnership with CEVA to localise veterinary vaccine manufacturing within the Kingdom.

The agreement was signed under the patronage of His Excellency Eng. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al Fadley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture and Chairman of the National Livestock and Fisheries Development Program, in the presence of senior leaders from the sector.

The Memorandum of Understanding sets out a joint plan to establish domestic production capabilities, transfer advanced technology and technical expertise, and expand industrial and commercial scale manufacturing across different regions of the country. The aim is to create a sustainable operating model that meets national demand while reinforcing biosecurity and food security.

Under the agreement, both sides will work to improve production efficiency and build a clear commercial pathway for locally manufactured vaccines. The cooperation also covers the development of mRNA vaccine technologies and joint research into a vaccine for MERS CoV in camels. This includes designing and evaluating targeted solutions to combat the virus. In addition, the partnership will focus on the development of rabies vaccines and related products, supporting national disease control programmes through reliable vaccine supply, capacity building and integrated prevention strategies.

A key objective is to serve the Kingdom’s poultry vaccine market, currently valued at around US$19.7mn. The plan targets roughly 30 per cent of this market, backed by an initial investment of close to US$66mn. With continued government backing and rising poultry production, the market is projected to grow by more than 10 per cent annually, reaching an estimated US$33bn by 2030.

CEVA’s participation in the Veterinary Biotechnology Future City at the Biotech Park in Dhurma Governorate marks an important milestone. It reflects the Program’s wider strategy to develop advanced industries in livestock and fisheries while building strong international partnerships with leading companies, research institutions and universities.

The agreement also ensures that locally produced vaccines are tailored to disease strains present in the Kingdom. Specialised training programmes will support compliance with international Good Manufacturing Practices standards, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s ambition to position itself as a global biotechnology hub and strengthen the long term sustainability of its animal health sector.

Brazil posts strong january growth in chicken and pork exports.

Brazil began the year with strong export performance in both chicken and pork, setting new records for January and reinforcing the country’s position as a leading global supplier of animal protein.

Data from the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein shows rising shipment volumes and export revenues despite the month traditionally being a period of weaker international demand.

Chicken meat exports, covering both fresh and processed products, reached 459,000 tonnes in January. This marked a record for the month and represented a 3.6 percent increase compared with the same period last year. Export revenue also reached a new January high, totalling US$874.2 million, up 5.8 percent from US$826.4 million recorded a year earlier.

The United Arab Emirates remained the largest destination for Brazilian chicken, importing 44,300 tonnes, a rise of 14 percent year on year. South Africa followed with 36,800 tonnes, showing strong growth of 34 percent, while Saudi Arabia imported 33,500 tonnes. China also received 33,500 tonnes, although volumes declined sharply compared with last year. Japan, the European Union, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, and Chile all posted increases, highlighting broad based demand across multiple regions.

At state level, Paraná led chicken exports with shipments of 187,700 tonnes, followed by Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. São Paulo and Goiás also recorded growth, contributing to the overall strong performance.

“The record performance with increases in practically all major destinations, during a period of typically reduced demand, such as the month of January, signals optimistic prospects for 2026. This indicates sustained growth in several importing markets, especially in the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, the countries of the European Union and certain Asian markets with significant demand,” advises the president of ABPA, Ricardo Santin.

Pork exports also reached record levels in January. Shipments totalled 116,300 tonnes, an increase of 9.7 percent compared with the same month last year. Export revenue rose to US$270.2 million, up 13.6 percent and the highest January result on record.

The Philippines remained the leading market for Brazilian pork, followed by Japan and Hong Kong. Santa Catarina was the largest exporting state, while Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná recorded strong growth.

"The trend that occurred throughout 2025 continues this year, with a decentralization of shipments from China to new destinations, including the Philippines and other high value-added markets, such as Japan. The record balance in January points to a positive flow again in 2026," emphasizes the president of ABPA, Ricardo Santin.

Aviagen strengthens Malaysia’s poultry industry. (Image credit: Avinews Asia)

Aviagen has reaffirmed its commitment to the Malaysian poultry sector by sponsoring the 2026 reprint of the ‘Guidebook on the Malaysian Poultry Industry – The Way Forward’.

The publication is widely recognised as an important reference tool for policymakers, researchers, and industry participants, helping to guide structured and coordinated development across the national poultry value chain.

The updated guidebook was officially launched during a seminar held in Kuala Lumpur on January 22, 2026. The event was organised by the Malaysian Productivity Corporation and the Agro Food Productivity Nexus, working in collaboration with the Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Associations of Malaysia. The seminar, titled ‘Transforming the Poultry Industry Through Productivity, Technology, and Talent’, attracted more than 100 participants from across the poultry sector, including integrators, farmers, feed manufacturers, suppliers, and government officials.

As part of the programme, Aviagen demonstrated its commitment to openness and knowledge sharing through a virtual presentation titled ‘Poultry Breeding for Better Performance and Disease Prevention’. The session was delivered by Dominic Elfick, Marketing Manager for Aviagen Asia Pacific. During the presentation, Aviagen outlined its balanced breeding philosophy, highlighting the importance of sustainable traits, bird welfare, and consistent long term performance in building resilient poultry production systems.

Aviagen’s role in advancing industry best practices was further recognised during the event when the company was cited by the Department of Veterinary Services as a leading example of compartmentalisation. The department encouraged broader adoption of this approach, which is based on shared management standards and strong biosecurity practices across groups of production units. Compartmentalisation plays a key role in allowing international trade to continue during the event of a notifiable disease outbreak.

Keat Fu, Senior Technical Services Veterinarian for Aviagen Asia, attended the seminar alongside other members of the Aviagen team. He noted that the event provided valuable opportunities to engage directly with industry stakeholders. Feedback from attendees reflected strong support for Aviagen’s focus on sustainable performance, welfare centred breeding strategies, and close collaboration with the wider poultry industry in Malaysia.

Ceva marks a century of progress against newcastle disease.

Ceva Animal Health is preparing to mark an important milestone as it commemorates 100 years since Newcastle disease was first identified on the island of Java.

This moment represents the starting point of a century long scientific effort to understand, manage, and control one of the most significant poultry diseases worldwide.

For Ceva, the fight against Newcastle disease is more than a scientific challenge. The company views it as a shared responsibility passed down through generations, with researchers, veterinarians, and poultry professionals all playing a role as guardians in this ongoing battle. Each contribution, past and present, has helped shape the collective knowledge and progress made over the last hundred years.

To honour this legacy, Ceva will host a special event titled ‘100 Years with Newcastle Disease’. The meeting will take place from February 10 to 12, 2026, in Bogor, Indonesia, close to where the disease was first described. The location has been chosen to reflect both the historical significance of Java and the continued global relevance of Newcastle disease today.

According to a joint statement from Mustafa Seçkin Sandikli, Global Poultry Director, and Christophe Cazaban, Poultry Scientific Director, the event will bring together a carefully selected group of leading Newcastle disease researchers alongside senior poultry health and laboratory experts from around the world. The aim is to create an open forum for sharing knowledge, exchanging experiences, and discussing future directions in disease prevention and control.

“Returning to Java, where the story began, we aim to create a meaningful space to reflect on the past, understand today and connect our efforts for the decades ahead,” they said.

The event is expected to highlight both historical achievements and future opportunities in the global fight against Newcastle disease.