Dubai fruits-vegetables distributor NRTC buys Egyptian farming estate

NRTC wants to expand its reach into direct agriculture and fresh supplies

Last updated: August 04, 2025 | 13:34

Manoj Nair, Business Editor

1 MIN READ

With the Egypt deal, NRTC Food Holding gets to have direct access to a sizable fresh produce farming estate.

Shutterstock

Dubai: The Dubai-based NRTC Food Holding has made an acquisition of Egypt's Al Hashemeya Farms, said to be one of the region’s largest privately-managed farming estates. The latter is located in Egypt’s Wadi El Natrun region.

NRTC is one of the leading fruits and vegetables distribution company in the GCC.

The new deal marks a 'decisive step' in NRTC’s ongoing push to secure sustainable fresh produce supply.

Also Read: Shopping for under Dh20 products? Lulu takes on online giants with LOT

According to Mohammed Al Refaee, CEO of NRTC, “This acquisition is a pivotal milestone in our journey to control quality at the source, invest in food system resilience, and deliver fresher, better produce to our customers.”

Spanning about 10,000 acres, Al Hashemeya Farms cultivates 70% of its land with a portfolio of crops including citrus, olives, mango, grapes, dates, wheat and sugar beet. The estate is home to over 2 million fruit trees and has a capacity to yield up to 70,000 tonnes annually.

The deal also marks NRTC’s direct entry into upstream agriculture, 'significantly enhancing its ability to control quality at the source, reduce reliance on third-party suppliers, and secure consistent, high-volume access to fresh produce'.

Manoj NairBusiness Editor

Manoj Nair, the Gulf News Business Editor, is an expert on property and gold in the UAE and wider region, and these days he is also keeping an eye on stocks as well. Manoj cares a lot for luxury brands and what make them tick, as well as keep close watch on whatever changes the retail industry goes through, whether on the grand scale or incremental. He’s been with Gulf News for 30 years, having started as a Business Reporter. When not into financial journalism, Manoj prefers to see as much of 1950s-1980s Bollywood movies. He reckons the combo is as exciting as it gets, though many will vehemently disagree.