Abu Dhabi: Fresh and cheaper vegetables produced by farmers in Abu Dhabi are stealing the show over imported products in the local market.
“I always buy local products whenever available. I check with shopkeepers and ensure they are locally sourced before I buy them,” said Palestinian expat Ahmad Abdi.
Abdi, who has been living in the UAE for 17 years, said local produce tastes better. “It is not just prices that are attractive. I feel the tomatoes and cucumbers grown locally also taste better.”
For Indian expat Gopinathan Nair, buying local vegetables is his way of giving back to the country that has given him everything. “I believe we can contribute to the local economy and encourage local farmers by buying their products,” said Nair, a civil engineer.
Demand growing
It is good news for farmers that the number of people who prefer local vegetables is rapidly growing.
According to a recent study conducted by the Abu Dhabi Farmer’s Services Centre (ADFSC), out of 800 people interviewed across the UAE, nearly three quarters purchased local produce because of its freshness. Residents also said they think local vegetables are cultivated in an environmentally friendly manner.
“Freshness is still the primary driver for consumers to purchase local vegetables, however perceptions of local vegetables have improved over the past three years, with a higher proportion of residents agreeing that local vegetables are good in quality, safe to consume, reasonably priced, grown in an environmentally friendly manner and are more nutritious and healthy compared to imported ones,” said Chris Hirst, chief executive officer, ADFSC.
The brand name ‘Local Harvest’ launched by ADFSC in 2012 has also given a boost to locally produced veggies. The brand helps local farmers to establish a strong presence in the market. There are shops that exclusively sell ‘Local Harvest’ products, and shopkeepers say it is a big hit.
“We have lots of customers who come to our shop because they are particular about buying local products,” said a salesman at an ADFSC-run vegetable shop in Madinat Zayed.
Even other vegetable vendors say they stock up on local produce because they have longer shelf life, in addition to their lower prices.
“For us, the biggest advantage is their freshness. The stocks are delivered garden fresh and they stay for a longer time. So the risk of them getting spoilt is much less,” said Abdul Kareem, a vegetable vendor in Mina market.
Kareem said local vegetables are cheaper for the obvious reason that wholesalers and distributors do not have to incur shipping charges.
‘For instance, local cucumbers are available for Dh1 a kilo whereas those imported from Oman or Iran cost more than Dh2 at times.
“Also, prices [of imported produce] keep fluctuating due to many reasons that impact the market in which they are produced,” said Asif, a vendor in Mina market.
Ali Bakeet Al Mazrouei, a farmer in Liwa, said the biggest challenge is to keep up with demand during summer. “The quantity of produce varies depending on the weather. In summer, the quantity definitely comes down,” said Mazrouei who has an 11,800 square metre hydroponic farm in Liwa.
He said during February and March when production is at its peak, 600kg of vegetables are supplied daily from his farm.
“This year, I have mainly focused on cucumbers and capsicum. We also produce tomatoes, lettuce, and okras in cycles,” Mazrouei told XPRESS.
Thousand tonnes a week
There are around 1,200 farms that work under ADFSC, and during the winter season, they produce a thousand tonnes of vegetables a week. ADFSC expects to produce 38,000 tonnes of vegetables this farming season from November 2014-October 2015.
