ABU DHABI // A new line of local produce that allows consumers to trace every bean and tomato back to the farm where it was grown will soon be available at supermarkets across the country. Under a scheme devised by the Farmers' Services Centre (FCS), a government-backed advisory body, the branded produce is set to hit the shelves in around six months.
David O'Brien, the chief executive of the FSC, said the new brand - a name has yet to be decided upon - along with another separate organic brand, will aim to reverse perceptions among consumers that imported food is of better quality. The programme has been welcomed by supermarkets. V Nandakumar, the corporate communications manager for Emke, which runs Lulu Hypermarkets, said a single brand would help to improve consumers' opinion of local produce.
"Producing local products under one name will improve confidence regarding quality and availability," he said. Lulu stores already have a section dedicated to local produce, Mr Nandakumar said. More than 4,000 farms in Al Gharbia are working with the centre, and while only some will sell produce through the new brand, those that do will follow strict standards on growing and harvesting. Under the scheme, the new brand will ensure food standards are far more rigorous. "Everything we eat will be safe, to the extent that whoever the supplier is, we can trace their process right back to the source," said Mr O'Brien.
At the moment, consumers cannot be certain their food has been hygienically handled, or grown with the appropriate amount of pesticide and fertiliser. A 13-year study by the US Centre for Science in the Public Interest found raw produce to be the biggest cause of food poisoning, causing twice as many illnesses as seafood, poultry or eggs. Food safety has been an ongoing issue, with inspectors in Dubai temporarily shutting down 59 food establishments in the first three months of the year because of spoiled or expired food, insects and rodents being found in storage areas, and food being stored at the wrong temperature.
According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, raw fruit and vegetables are a particular concern, since washing can decrease safety risks but cannot eliminate them. Most produce is contaminated after being washed in or irrigated with water that has been in contact with animal or human waste. Under the new scheme, smaller farms will be given training and expertise, while the centre will take over shipping and marketing for larger farms, many of which currently sell directly to hypermarkets.
"[The small farmer] would love to sell to Carrefour," said Mr O'Brien, "but he's only going to have two months of tomatoes, and 100 cartons of tomatoes for those two months, and that's the totality of his vegetable crop. Do you think Carrefour is going to be receptive to dealing with him?" For Abdullah al Amimi, an organic vegetable farmer in Liwa, a lack of transparency about the origin of produce is a continuing problem.
Unscrupulous middlemen are able to abuse the system, he said, while counterfeiting is a persistent problem. mdetrie@thenational.ae
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
The%C2%A0specs%20
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Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Company%20profile
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RESULTS
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.
Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.
Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.
Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
The%20specs
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How England have scored their set-piece goals in Russia
Three Penalties
v Panama, Group Stage (Harry Kane)
v Panama, Group Stage (Kane)
v Colombia, Last 16 (Kane)
Four Corners
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via John Stones header, from Ashley Young corner)
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via Harry Maguire header, from Kieran Trippier corner)
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, header, from Trippier corner)
v Sweden, Quarter-Final (Maguire, header, from Young corner)
One Free-Kick
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, via Jordan Henderson, Kane header, and Raheem Sterling, from Tripper free-kick)
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v tba
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The biog
Favourite Emirati dish: Fish machboos
Favourite spice: Cumin
Family: mother, three sisters, three brothers and a two-year-old daughter
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
