(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM)) ABU DHABI, 6th March, 2023 (WAM) -- Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) opens a new farmers' market at Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi to serve as a platform for wholesalers, retailers, and consumers interested in buying medium to large quantities of locally sourced products.
The move follows the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of ADAFSA.
The wholesale farmers' market is open every day from 1 pm to 10 pm, running until May. It features 13 marketing outlets catering to 20 local farmers, with the capacity to sell approximately 20 tons of agricultural products daily.
ADAFSA is the main supporter and sponsor of the market, which aims to create innovative marketing opportunities for small-scale agricultural producers of both plant and animal products, boost the competitiveness of local products and make them more accessible to consumers.
The market is managed by Silal, a subsidiary of the ADQ Holding Company, who are responsible for registering participating farmers and enabling them to sell their products directly to wholesalers and retailers.
Saeed Al Bahri Salem Al Ameri, Director-General of ADAFSA, said that the farmers' markets initiative has garnered significant interest and backing from Sheikh Mansour and aligns with His Highness' commitment to the advancement of the agricultural industry, increasing farmers' income, and boosting the competitiveness of local produce.
According to Al Ameri, the establishment of the wholesale farmers' market is an opportunity for farmers to connect directly with retailers without any mediators, enabling them to obtain a fair price for their products. In turn, consumers benefit from fresh and high-quality local products at a reasonable cost.
He further emphasised that the market supports internal trade and the local economy by providing wholesalers and retailers with direct access to daily farm production, sourced directly from Abu Dhabi farms.
The Director-General commended Silal's efforts in managing the market, while highlighting the government's and semi-government agencies' support for local products and farmers.
In reference to the Mina Zayed Wholesale Farmers' Market, Salmeen Al Ameri, CEO of Silal, stated that the market is another stride towards supporting farmers in Abu Dhabi, following the achievement of the Al Wathba Farmers Market.
Rashed Alzaabi