Ministry seeks to promote organic products

Plans are afoot to group and sell organic products from the UAE at a weekly market, the Ministry of Environment and Water has said. The ministry is also trying to find suitable means of marketing products from organic farms in the private sector. So far, 28 farms have been certified by the ministry as growing fruits and vegetables organically that is, using no chemical fertilisers or pesticides throughout the UAE. Farmers are encouraged to adopt modern farming techniques to increase production and improve the quality of food produced in the UAE. All farms producing organic products must be registered and approved by the ministry. They must also be subject to supervision and inspection by the ministry and hold a certificate from the ministry, Mariam Al Shenasi, executive director for Technical Affairs in the Ministry of Environment and Water, said. In the future, all organic products from farms in the UAE will have to bear a sticker stating so. In a bid to promote organic farming, farmers were able to take samples of their produce and have the samples assessed free of charge at ministry laboratories before they proceeded to apply for the certificate. "There is a large interest from residents on organic products, and equally farmers are keen to follow the regulations and standards of organic farming in their farms, to register and see their products for sale," Mariam said. From / Gulf news