Sharjah Chamber showcases the features of the "National Food Factory" project during Al Dhaid Date Festival

Al Dhaid Date Festival, organized by Sharjah Chamber at Expo Centre Al Dhaid, showcased the National Food Factory project. This project, implemented by the Chamber in the Hamda area of ​​Mleiha, is a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing the added value of national agricultural products, supporting farmers and producers, and strengthening the sustainable food security system in the UAE.

The factory is set to handle an annual production capacity of 5,000 metric tons to serve local, regional, and international markets and its platform attracted significant interest from festival visitors, farmers, and those interested in the agricultural sector. They learned about the factory's vision, mission, and the services it will provide to farmers, agricultural companies, and food manufacturers. The factory offers integrated solutions that ensure the transformation of local crops into safe, high-quality food products, adhering to the highest safety and efficiency standards.

A Qualitative Addition

His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Amin Al Awadhi, Director General of the Chamber, affirmed that the "National Food Factory" project represents a qualitative addition to the food industry ecosystem in the Emirate of Sharjah. He stated that it embodies the Chamber's commitment to developing innovative solutions that enhance the economic value of local agricultural products and support farmers and producers by linking agricultural production to a sophisticated industrial system that meets market demands. This, he added, strengthens growth and investment opportunities in the food industry sector and solidifies Sharjah's position as a leading center for food security and sustainable development. He further noted that the Al Dhaid Date Festival provides an ideal strategic platform to showcase this project and introduce farmers and other stakeholders to the solutions it offers for developing the value chain of national products.

An Integrated Industrial Platform

The factory offers comprehensive solutions under one roof, starting with date processing and manufacturing services that include cleaning, sorting, grading, and packaging in retail, wholesale, and luxury gift sizes. It also produces date paste and natural date syrup free of preservatives.

The factory's capabilities also include the production of dates stuffed with nuts and covered in the finest chocolates, with customized options available to meet client requirements. The factory's services extend to vegetable processing, drying, and packaging, alongside providing manufacturing and packaging services for third parties, supporting private label brands, and preparing products for export. This system is complemented by modern logistics and storage facilities, including dry and refrigerated warehouses supported by advanced inventory management systems.

Target Sectors

The project aims to serve various sectors related to food and agricultural production, primarily date farmers, marketing companies and cooperatives, food and beverage factories, distribution and trading companies, retail chains, export companies, and the hospitality and catering sector. This is achieved through an operational model that enables the completion of the agricultural product value chain, from processing and packaging to storage and distribution, thereby enhancing their competitiveness in local, regional, and global markets.

The festival welcomed its visitors amidst wide participation from farmers, date producers, productive families, and entities specializing in the agricultural sector from various emirates of the country. It provides visitors with the opportunity to acquire the finest varieties of dates and local fruits and to learn about the products and initiatives offered by participating entities, in addition to a program full of heritage competitions, guidance workshops, and educational activities that enrich the visitor experience and deepen the connection of new generations to the authentic agricultural heritage of the Emirate of Sharjah and the UAE.