Indonesian agriculture minister impressed by how UAE grows fruits, veggies in desert

The country is very interested in cooperating in the agricultural sector with the UAE, he added

Ashwani Kumar

Published: Wed 11 Jan 2023, 6:00 AM

Last updated: Wed 11 Jan 2023, 6:44 AM

An Indonesian agriculture minister is surprised at the way the UAE is scripting a green history in the desert areas of Abu Dhabi.

Last week, Dr Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Minister of Agriculture, and a delegation, visited facilities of Elite Agro Group (EAG) – a leading local producer and distributor of fresh produce.

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Limpo and his team conducted a field visit to EAG’s greenhouse facility for the development and planting of berries and vegetables in desert areas of Al Foah in Al Ain.

The minister was impressed with EAG’s use of state-of-the-art technology to grow products. Limpo offered EAG an opportunity to cooperate in implementing and developing advanced greenhouse technology for projects in the Lembang area of Bandung in Indonesia, as well as agricultural land being developed on the island of Kalimantan.

“I hope the plan for cooperation in implementing advanced greenhouse technology can be a means of transferring knowledge and technology to fruit and vegetable farmers in Indonesia,” said Dr Limpo.

According to the World Bank, around 43 per cent of Indonesia’s population resides in rural areas and close to 29 per cent of the Indonesian workforce work in the agricultural sector. Primary agricultural production accounted for 13.7 per cent of GDP in 2020.

In Dubai, Limpo held a meeting with UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri. Both sides expressed their willingness to cooperate in the agricultural sector, particularly regarding the issue of climate change.

“Indonesia is very open to cooperating in the agricultural sector with the UAE,” Limpo said.

He requested that the UAE could approve Indonesian poultry products to enter the UAE market.

Separately, he also met the board of directors of Lulu Group International, which has opened six hypermarkets in Indonesia. The minister said Indonesia seeks to explore possibilities of a strategic partnership with Lulu Group. The ministry will provide various agricultural products produced by Indonesia farmers to Lulu to be marketed in various outlets across the world.

“I feel happy about the visit of the Minister of Agriculture and the delegation to the UAE. The Indonesian Embassy in Abu Dhabi is ready to assist and facilitate matters that are needed to support the success of cooperation in the agricultural sector between the two countries,” Indonesian Ambassador to the UAE, Husin Bagis, noted.

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