BayWa AG and Al Dahra Holding celebrate official grand opening of two climate-controlled greenhouses in Al Ain, UAE

BayWa AG and Al Dahra Holding celebrate official grand opening of two climate-controlled greenhouses in Al Ain, UAE

MUNICH, 02-Nov-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — The official grand opening of a project involving BayWa AG and Al Dahra Holding LLC, Abu Dhabi, was held this past weekend. The project consists of two climate-controlled greenhouses in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The first premium tomatoes resulting from the joint venture were harvested just a few weeks ago. At a ceremony attended by national dignitaries, including Minister of State for Defence Affairs Mohammed Al Bawardi, Minister of State for Food Security Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Mehairi stated that the climate-controlled greenhouses represented a milestone in the history of the UAE. The realisation of the project is a major step forward for the country on its path towards making the UAE less dependent on food imports and significantly increasing food security, she said, adding that the ceremony was also “a proud moment” for her personally.

“Local for local is an important tool for continuing to improve a sustainable food supply for people worldwide in view of climate change, population growth and the loss of agricultural land,” said Klaus Josef Lutz, Chief Executive Officer of BayWa AG. He thanked all those involved, including local and international partners, for the excellent implementation of the project in record time. BayWa also feels welcome as an investor in the UAE, he added. “That is demonstrated not only by the support from government agencies during planning and construction, but also by the presence of high-ranking representatives of the country today,” Lutz stated.

In his speech, Khadim Abdulla Al Darei, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Al Dahra Holding, stressed that the positive experiences with BayWa in the realisation of the project meant that his company would be willing to consider further investments. Chief Executive Officer Lutz promised talks on further cooperation and emphasised that the construction of climate-controlled greenhouses around the world was part of the BayWa Group’s specialities strategy, which focuses on special products for lucrative markets and long-term sales opportunities.

The two companies signed the joint venture agreement in March 2017 with the goal of efficiently cultivating high-quality vegetables and marketing them locally while conserving resources. In September 2018, the first snack tomatoes from the first climate-controlled greenhouse were harvested. The second greenhouse was put into operation at the same time. Due to the high demand for regional and sustainably produced fruit and vegetables in the UAE, the complete first harvest had been marketed locally even before production began.

The two greenhouses employ 130 people and measure some 10 hectares. The first greenhouse achieved the maximum harvest yield of 15 tonnes of tomatoes a week at the end of October. The second greenhouse is also expected to achieve the same production volume by the end of the year.

Photo (© BayWa AG, reprints free of charge)

Official ceremony in Al Ain: Godfrey Dol, Chief Operation Officer Al Dahra BayWa Agriculture LLC (front row, left), Minister of State for Defence Affairs Mohammed Al Bawardi (fourth from left), Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Mehairi, Minister of State for Food Security (fifth from left), Klaus Josef Lutz, Chief Executive Officer of BayWa AG (third from right), and Khadim Abdulla Al Darei, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Al Dahra Holding (second from right), symbolically cut the ribbon.

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