The Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah has visited what is thought to be the country’s first olive oil producer.
Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi witnessed the process of farming and pressing olives for oil at a local company on Jebel Jais, the UAE’s highest peak.
The olives are grown locally on several Emirati farms, on 4,000 trees imported from Italy, Spain and elsewhere. Endangered, wild olive trees grow on the emirate’s slopes.
After the fruit is picked, it is sorted, washed and crushed, before the resulting oil is filtered twice and poured in Jebel Jais-branded bottles to sell.
Native to the Mediterranean, olive trees require a subtropical climate to flourish, and do best in countries with mild winters and long, warm and dry summers. They tolerate salty, coastal conditions and well-draining soil.
Once established, they require little care, and under good growing conditions, will yield fruit by the time they are three to six years old. Normally, the trees do not respond well to humidity.
Wild olive reserves
Ras Al Khaimah’s wild olive trees are protected under the directives of Sheikh Saud bin Saqr, who established reserves to save them from extinction and to increase their production.
Wild olives contain many health benefits, and the virgin olive oil extracted from the fruits of the trees in the emirate’s protected reserves is amongst the finest, with an acidity ratio of 0.21 to 0.30, which is much lower than the acidity of traditional olive oil.
Agriculture in the UAE has come under the spotlight in recent years, after the government set up the Ministry of Future Food Security to increase the amount of food produced in the emirates.
Agronomists – specialists in soil management and crop production – have focused their research on either hardy plants that grow well in arid conditions or on modern farming techniques such as aquaponics and hydroponics.
Under the National Food Security Strategy, the UAE aimed to increase its production of essential foods, including dairy produce, cooking oil, dates, poultry, fish and seafood, by 15 per cent by this year.
In 2020, six million tonnes of food was produced in the Emirates. Officials say this could top 16.3 million tonnes annually, if required.
Flower farm in Fujairah - in pictures
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Mohammed Al Mazroui on his flower farm in Asimah Valley, Fujairah. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Al Mazroui has been growing flowers on the farm for the last seven years, though he acquired the land 23 years ago. Reem Mohammed / The National -
The flower farm's location among the mountains of Al Hajar offers a cooler climate for the plants. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Gladioli flowers are among the farm's 30,000 blooms this year. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Al Mazroui also grows larkspurs, dandelions, sunflowers and marigolds. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Al Mazroui begins planting from September to November and the flowers bloom throughout February until April. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Among the first flowers Al Mazroui planted is the snapdragon, which produces intensely vibrant flowers that grow along tall stalks. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Al Mazroui purchased the initial snapdragon seeds from the US, and soon grew more using his own. Reem Mohammed / The National -
The farm’s most recent bloom totaled 30,000 flowers, which included larkspurs, hollyhocks, gladioli, sunflowers, snapdragons and marigolds, to name a few. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Snapdragon flowers. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Al Mazroui's interest in horticulture goes back to when he was young. 'I’ve loved flowers since childhood,' he says. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Statice flowers or sea lavenders at the UAE Flower Farm in Wadi Asimah. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Workers at the farm begin harvesting flowers to send to shops in Sharjah and Dubai. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Munir, one of the workers on the farm, carries freshly cut flowers to prepare them for delivery to shops. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Abdulrahman, one of the farm's workers, picks white sea-lavenders. Reem Mohammed / The National -
The UAE Flower Farm has recently opened to visitors, giving them the option to create their own bouquets with the help of the workers and paying directly on-site. Reem Mohammed / The National
