Plunging temperatures prompt frost warning to Abu Dhabi farmers

Agriculture authority offers advice to farmers to help protect their produce as 'cold waves' sweep the emirate

Farmers in Abu Dhabi are being offered tips to protect their produce from frost as temperatures plunge. Courtesy: Abu Dhabi Food Safety and Agriculture Authority.

The UAE is enjoying the chilliest winter in years, but for keen gardeners and farmers, the morning frost is a challenge.

Sub-zero temperatures combined with fog and damp conditions led to thin layers of morning frost that can be enough to ruin a carefully manicured garden or a full-fledged farm.

On Monday, farmers in Abu Dhabi were warned about "cold waves" that could harm their produce and officials from Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority offered tips to help protect their fruit and vegetables.

During a visit to the Rukna region of Al Ain last week, The National saw icicles on trees and plants. Early risers has to scrape ice off their cars.

Fahad Mohammed of the UAE Storm Centre shows some ice build-up on shrubs during low temperatures at Raknah, Al Ain, which went down to -4 degrees Celsius at one point. All photos by Victor Besa / The National

The agriculture authority said such icy temperatures could be a menace to farmers.

"This could lead to major economic losses," the authority said.

Farmers were advised to cover their produce with a canvas or net and to plant windbreakers across their farms to reduce the likelihood of frost forming.

“The windbreakers could be in the form of trees or building a siege around the farm,” said Adel Al Saeedi, a manager at the authority.

Another trick is to use cold-resistant seeds, he said.

“The most important thing is irrigation. In cold weather, farmers should water their plants at noon when it is warmest and it should be done sparingly," Mr Al Saeedi said.

He said the cold weather mostly affected plants "because they are in a bare area, there is nothing to protect them from the cold air mass".

Major changes in temperature can kill plants and spoil a farmer's produce.

"Plants need a certain level of temperature to blossom and extreme drops kill the plants, because the fluid inside the plant cells freezes," he said.

"Over the past few days, we have witnessed the temperature dropping below 10°C at times, and below zero in Rukna.

"However, none of the farmers reported plant deaths because we were able to save them."

In addition to educating farmers about precautionary measures through social media, representatives from the authority visited farms to offer advice.

"If any farmers face issues, they can also seek help from our guidance centres. There are 15 of them spread across the emirate and they provide all kinds of support," he said.

Mr Al Saeedi said the cold weather could continue for some time.

“We expect anything. The UAE climate is unstable so we always warn farmers to be alert. The cold waves could return any time," he said.