The UAE, under the guidance of its leadership, continues to solidify its position as a prominent regional hub for economic activities in the food sector, as stated by His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism. The country boasts a comprehensive infrastructure founded on global best practices, advanced technology, and resilient supply chains. These exceptional features play a crucial role in ensuring a consistent supply of food products in ample quantities across the nation’s markets.
This announcement came during a field visit by His Excellency to the Abu Dhabi Vegetable Oils Company, a leading national firm in the food industry. The visit aimed to assess the efficiency and readiness of food supply chains as well as the strategic stock levels of essential goods, while also fostering partnerships between the public and private sectors. He was welcomed by Nirmal Shetty, the company’s CEO; Ismail Mubarak Al Blooshi, the Human Resources and Relations Manager; and Ramesh Doot, the Manufacturing Director.
His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq remarked: “The food industry, including vegetable oil production, is a key driver in enhancing the national food security system. It contributes to the economic and industrial integration of the country by boosting local production and diversifying the economy.”
He further added: “National companies in the food sector exemplify the advanced Emirati industry, relying on the latest production technologies and adhering to the highest standards of quality and food safety, enabling them to expand locally, regionally, and globally.”
Given the current circumstances, these companies play a pivotal role in ensuring the continuity of food supply chains and market stability, reinforcing the UAE’s position among the top 10 countries in the Food Security Index, in line with the goals of the “We Are the UAE 2031” vision.
Flal Amin, CEO of Agthia Group, expressed: “We were honored to host His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri at the Abu Dhabi Vegetable Oils Company. This visit reflects the depth of the strategic partnership between the government and private sectors and underscores our mutual commitment to support and enhance the national food security system of the UAE.”
This visit holds particular significance amid the rapidly changing regional and global landscapes, highlighting the necessity of building more resilient and sustainable supply systems. At Agthia Group, we are continuously working to enhance our local production capabilities and adopt the latest advanced solutions and technologies to ensure a steady supply of essential food products.”
The Abu Dhabi Vegetable Oils Company is a key supporter of the country’s food security, contributing to providing essential products and ensuring efficient continuity of supply chains to stabilize the local market.
During the tour, His Excellency inspected various production stages at the company’s facility, starting from the reception of raw oils from international markets, across refining processes that utilize advanced techniques to remove impurities and enhance product quality, leading to final packing and packaging stages that operate under stringent oversight to ensure product safety and stability.
He also reviewed the advanced operational capacities of the plant, which has an annual production capacity exceeding 200,000 metric tons of vegetable oils, alongside storage tanks that hold over 40,000 metric tons, enhancing inventory management and supporting the continuity of food supply in local and regional markets.
In addition, an integrated distribution system relies on an advanced logistics network, supply chains, and modern storage facilities. The company and its partners distribute approximately 17 brands of cooking oils, including packing and manufacturing for third-party brands.
The company also updated His Excellency on the scope of its operations and expansions in regional and international markets, with products reaching GCC countries, the Middle East, Asia, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa, serving diverse sectors including retail, food industries, hospitality, government institutions, and international organizations.
It is noteworthy that the value of UAE’s food commodity trade reached 148.6 billion dirhams in 2024, marking a growth of 16.8% compared to 127.2 billion dirhams in 2023. Furthermore, national food exports saw a 10.9% increase, reaching 24.2 billion dirhams in the past year compared to 2023.