Abu Dhabi: A hobby that many Emiratis enjoy has started fetching them an income and provided fresh lamb, veal and chicken to consumers in Abu Dhabi, thanks to the initiative of a government organisation.
“Most of the [Emirati] farmers run small farms just as a hobby to produce meat and chicken for their families, relatives and friends. With Abu Dhabi Farmers Service Centre’s (ADFSC) initiative to procure their produce and sell it in the market, they have become serious to increase their production,” a senior official of the centre told Gulf News on Sunday.
The centre’s initiative to start selling the locally produced meat and chicken at prominent retail chains has attracted a good response from customers, Mark Stannad, head of production and sales unit at the centre, said.
“Customers find it attractive because of the good quality and freshness, [as they are not] transported long distances. They are not cheaper because the production is not commercial (large scale) but from small farms,” he said.
In many countries, meat and chicken are produced on a large scale in big farms, which minimises production costs.
The centre’s initiative is relevant in the wake of demands from environmentalists to have people move to locally produced food that minimises the carbon footprint caused by transportation. The carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide or other carbon compounds released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual, organisation, or community.
Food transportation contributes to a huge amount of carbon emissions worldwide.
The initiative is also important for food security of the UAE as the country imports more than 85 per cent of its food.
The centre started selling the local meat and chicken through its own souqs across the emirate one year ago, and through major retail chains a few months ago, Christopher Hirst, the CEO of the centre, said.
It started supplying to Abu Dhabi Cooperative Society, Spar and Lulu a few months ago, and recently received an order from Carrefour. The centre is in discussions with Al Ain Cooperative.
“We sell approximately 14,000 chickens, carcasses of 75 lambs and 30 calves a week,” Stannard said.
The farmers’ ‘hobby’ has fetched then an unexpected income as otherwise they would not be able to market their small quantities of produce, the official said. “The response from farmers suggests that they are interested in increasing production,” he said.
“With more demand, we expect to increase the sales up to 42,000 chickens and double the existing sale of lamb and veal within a few months,” he said.
The retailer testified to the growing demand. “The response for local meat has been very good and we have seen more than 25 per cent growth in the three months that we have been selling them,” Garry Backhouse, head of Butchery at Lulu Hypermarkets, said. “Consumers are willing to pay slightly higher to get fresher meat,” he said.
The centre’s products include local fresh sheep, goats, calves, and poultry as whole carcasses or in chopped parts (wings, breasts, and thighs etc.) sourced directly from Abu Dhabi farms.
They are subject to higher levels of care before slaughter and testing as per the regulations of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority.
Moreover, the ADFSC intends to supply other types of white meat including rabbit meat, quail, and pigeons raised in Abu Dhabi farms, the CEO of the centre said.
“Our role is to support the development of local products to support sustainable agriculture in Abu Dhabi. Livestock is a key component of this strategy. They are sold under the umbrella of “Local harvest” a brand designed specifically for local products,” Hirst said.
