ABU DHABI // Farmers are being taught to spread production of vegetables over the harvesting season and supply food all year round.
The Farmers’ Services Centre, a government body responsible for modernising Abu Dhabi farms, is teaching them to produce vegetables in different months to avoid peaks in February and March.
“This is to guarantee products are available all year,” said Martin Aguirre, the centre’s commercial and operations director, on a farm visit in Al Rahba.
“We’re telling them to get the best return instead of producing the highest volume.”
Of the centre’s 24,000 farms, 1,000 supply their produce, including cucumbers and tomatoes, to the FSC’s brand “Local Harvest”, which was launched last November.
So far, 42 vegetables and herbs are available at the centre’s souqs, main supermarkets and hotels.
Salem Al Kaabani has been a farmer for the past 19 years.
Last year Mr Al Kaabani joined the centre, which he said helped him to set up greenhouses on his farm of 30,000 square metres.
“I started trying out crops such as cucumbers and bell peppers,” he said. “They’re helping me sell my produce and it’s much better now.”
Mr Al Kaabani’s vegetables reach the shops within 24 hours of being picked. And thanks to the centre, they will soon be available all year.
“In October 2011 the farmers produced 550 tonnes of vegetables,” said Mr Aguirre. “But last October, that increased to 1,300 tonnes because we wanted to spread it out.”
The quality of vegetables is also improving, with between 100 and 200 more tonnes of produce reaching class 1, from 2011 to last year.
The centre has introduced crops including green chilli, carrots and broccoli.
“Last season, four crops made up 85 per cent of the total produce,” he said. “This year, 11 crops make up 85 per cent of the total.”
Mr Al Kaabani spends Dh15,000 a year to grow 12 to 15 tonnes of cucumbers, but he has faith in the centre’s work and advice.
“Business is going well and I’m making more money than I used to,” he said.