UAE farmers say noon.com deal will lead to better local produce

Farms will be allocated retail space online as part of new partnership between the online marketplace and Khalifa Fund for Economic Development

Farmers pick out ripe eggplants from the field. All photos by Victor Besa / The National

The massive organic farm in the middle of the Al Ain desert.

A farmer carries a bucket to harvest organic green capsicums.

Organic beetroot is harvested.

Farmers clear the tomato field to give way to a new planting season at Emirates Bio Farm.

Farmers clear the tomato field to give way to a new planting season.

One of the greenhouses at the farm.

Assorted organic vegetables after being washed before sent to the packing station.

Assorted organic vegetables at the shop.

Organic dried tomatoes in olive oil being packed for delivery.

Organic honey from the farm.

Freshly baked whole wheat organic bread with pumpkin seeds from the organic kitchen.

Organic fresh farm eggs at the EBF store.

A store worker arranges online orders for delivery.

UAE farmers are confident of reaping the rewards of an enterprising initiative providing home-grown produce with a prime spot in the online shop window.

Under a new partnership between noon.com and the Khalifa Fund for Economic Development, local farms will be allocated dedicated space on the popular ‘noon Daily’ grocery delivery service.

Farmers and agriculturists said the programme would play an important role in maturing the country’s fresh produce scene.

It would also encourage more farmers to grow items which are not so readily available on the UAE market such as bok choy, okra and leafy greens.

As a local AgTech company, we believe that such initiatives play a big role in maturing the UAE's produce scene

“This initiative gives farmers the option to branch out and explore and expand their product offering,” said Yazen Al Kodmani, operations manager at Emirates Bio Farm.

“Some farmers here may not be tech savvy therefore they often lose out when it comes to getting the most out of their produce.

“Some try to make good quality local fruits and vegetables but when they sell it wholesale to supermarkets the price is usually set in stone.

“For example, a tomato will be priced at Dh2 because it is local, no matter the quality.

“That has impacted farmers producing good quality produce because there is just no incentive.

“By allowing them to sell straight to consumer they can set their own price and in turn they will be more inclined to produce high quality produce.”

As part of the scheme, participating small and medium-sized enterprises in Abu Dhabi will be offered a two-month commission-free period for online sales on the noon.com website. They will also get one per cent credit back on their sales for three months.

Currently, Emirates Bio Farm produces about 60 varieties of fruits and vegetables including tomatoes, cucumbers and capsicums.

Visitors get hands on experience of farm life at the Emirates Bio Farm. Leslie Pableo / The National

While it already sells to both the wholesale and direct-to-consumer market, Mr Al Kodmani said initiatives that support local food producers would lead to a boon in the UAE’s agricultural environment.

“We live in a country which has a very diverse expatriate population,” he said.

“That population breeds a demand for specific products, products that consumers would usually buy back home.

“Right now there is a lack of items such as kale, okra and other leafy greens that are grown locally.

“This kind of produce is popular in Asian cuisine so if we show consumers we can grow them here, then demand will grow.”

Haifa Abdullah Alrasheed, brand manager at Madar Farms in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, said a direct online gateway to consumers is vital when selling fresh, home-grown produce.

“As a local AgTech company, we believe that such initiatives play a big role in maturing the UAE's produce scene,” she said.

Farmers in the UAE say initiative will play an important role in maturing the country’s fresh produce scene. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

“This contribution will not only go a long way in helping Madar Farms, but also in establishing the UAE as the region's food production hub.

“We are already on noon Daily and we offer a selection of our locally grown, high-quality microgreens and mixed packed salads.”

Madar Farms is on its third year of operation. It uses advanced farming technologies to produce a wide variety of fresh produce, locally.

What we eat affects both our health and the planet. Where food is grown, what fertilisers are used, what is fed to animals, and how food is transported and packaged, contribute to the eco footprint of what we consume.

In recent years, the UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has sought to boost local food production by promoting the use of state-of-the-art farming methods and driving private sector investments into sustainable agriculture.

Amjad Al-Akhal, farm manager at Emirates Hydroponics Farm in Abu Dhabi, said it will be signing up to the Khalifa Fund and noon.com initiative.

“Any kind of business support that will help our products reach more clients, especially in a pandemic, is definitely something we want to be a part of,” he said.

“Currently, we partner with two companies to get out products to customers, Fresh On Table and Farms Gate.

“To expand your online reach can be expensive but the bonus with this programme is that we will save fees on online registration and service fees.

“We can also sell more produce via direct retail than wholesale.”