Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of State for Food Security. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of State for Food Security. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of State for Food Security. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of State for Food Security. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

UAE considers cap on food prices as global crop costs reach six-year high


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The UAE is considering price controls on some foods, as soaring crop prices affect countries around the world.

The government could impose price caps on chicken and milk, said Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of State for Food and Water Security.

Global food prices climbed to the highest level in six years last month, according to a United Nations index.

The surge was driven by crops such as corn and soybeans, which are widely used to feed farm animals. That adds to food-inflation worries for nations already strained after the coronavirus pandemic upended supply chains.

"We are studying this very carefully and we may need some adjustments," Ms Al Mheiri said, while suggesting that adjustments could apply to local and imported products.

The potential move shows that even wealthy nations are not immune to inflation. The UAE, which imports 90 per cent of its food, already imposes controls on some essentials, which are often listed at supermarket entrances.

Ms Al Mheiri is pushing ahead with improving the UAE’s food security through technology, innovation and diversifying sources of imports.

The nation is encouraging local food production and investing in controlled-environment agriculture such as greenhouses, aquaculture and vertical farming, she said.

"We're being flooded with ... requests to start growing food in the desert," Ms Al Mheiri said.

“We’re now growing blueberries in the UAE, we’re growing quinoa, we’re growing salmon.”

The country, already a well-established logistics centre for Middle East and global trade, aims to become a major centre for food and agricultural technology, she said.

It is “very open” to lab-grown, or cell-based, meats and is assessing what regulations are required to allow for the sale of such products.

It also wants to cut food loss and waste by 15 per cent by the end of the year, and halve it by 2030, she said.

UAE's home-grown oyster farm – in pictures

  • Oysters are typically farmed close to shore but these oysters are farmed off shore to take advantage of the warmer climate. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Oysters are typically farmed close to shore but these oysters are farmed off shore to take advantage of the warmer climate. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Dibba Bay Oysters farm in Fujairah, where millions of oysters are produced. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Dibba Bay Oysters farm in Fujairah, where millions of oysters are produced. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Oysters grow in a series of graduated nets, known as lanterns, metres beneath the surface of the sea. ocean farm. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Oysters grow in a series of graduated nets, known as lanterns, metres beneath the surface of the sea. ocean farm. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Oysters grow in a series of graduated nets, known as lanterns, metres beneath the surface of the sea. ocean farm. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Oysters grow in a series of graduated nets, known as lanterns, metres beneath the surface of the sea. ocean farm. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • The lanterns protect the oysters while allowing the water to flow through so they can feed. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    The lanterns protect the oysters while allowing the water to flow through so they can feed. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • The lanterns are filled with oysters that take about eight months to grow before being harvested. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    The lanterns are filled with oysters that take about eight months to grow before being harvested. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Oysters are harvested from the aqua farm. They take about eight months to grow completely. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Oysters are harvested from the aqua farm. They take about eight months to grow completely. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Workers pull lanterns full of oysters from the sea. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Workers pull lanterns full of oysters from the sea. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Between 5,000 and 10,000 baby oysters fit in each lantern. Once fully grown, that reduces to about 400 to 500. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Between 5,000 and 10,000 baby oysters fit in each lantern. Once fully grown, that reduces to about 400 to 500. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Ramie Murray, founder of Dibba Bay Oysters, is a Scottish expatriate who has lived in the UAE for more than two decades.. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramie Murray, founder of Dibba Bay Oysters, is a Scottish expatriate who has lived in the UAE for more than two decades.. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Oysters are weighed in the weighing room back at the land processing area. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Oysters are weighed in the weighing room back at the land processing area. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • After passing through the offshore farm and processing platform, the oysters are washed down, cleaned and individually weighed at the on-shore sorting facility before being packed and shipped for local or international export. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    After passing through the offshore farm and processing platform, the oysters are washed down, cleaned and individually weighed at the on-shore sorting facility before being packed and shipped for local or international export. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Cleaned oysters are packaged so they can be sold. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Cleaned oysters are packaged so they can be sold. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Cleaned, freshly harvested oysters are ready for packaging. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Cleaned, freshly harvested oysters are ready for packaging. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Harvested oysters are cleaned before they are packaged and sold. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Harvested oysters are cleaned before they are packaged and sold. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Oysters freshly pulled from the sea are taken for processing. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Oysters freshly pulled from the sea are taken for processing. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A worker separates the oysters based on their size at the land processing platform. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A worker separates the oysters based on their size at the land processing platform. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Ramie Murray, founder of Dibba Bay Oysters, buys baby oysters from the UK and France before growing them in the waters off Fujairah. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramie Murray, founder of Dibba Bay Oysters, buys baby oysters from the UK and France before growing them in the waters off Fujairah. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Oysters pass through the land processing area where they are weighed, cleaned and packaged for sale. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Oysters pass through the land processing area where they are weighed, cleaned and packaged for sale. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • The processing platform, where the oysters are separated based on size and cleaned before packaging. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    The processing platform, where the oysters are separated based on size and cleaned before packaging. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances

All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.

Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.

Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.

Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.

Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.

Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.

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SPEC SHEET

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Memory: 8/12GB RAM

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Platform: Android 12

Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW

Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps

Front camera: 40MP f/2.2

Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare

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Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red

Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE

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From exhibitions to the battlefield

In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.

It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.

It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.

It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.

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Price: From Dh117,059

Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community

• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style

“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.

Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term. 

From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”

• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International

"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed.  Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."

• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org

"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."

• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com

"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.

His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.

Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."

• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher

"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen.  He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”

• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org

"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."

India team for Sri Lanka series

Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan

The biog

Born: High Wycombe, England

Favourite vehicle: One with solid axels

Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.

Favourite road trip: My first trip to Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. The desert they have over there is different and the language made it a bit more challenging.

Favourite spot in the UAE: Al Dhafra. It’s unique, natural, inaccessible, unspoilt.

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Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
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Number of employees: 4

Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
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