ABU DHABI, 29th May, 2023 (WAM) — Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), ADAFSA launches Fodder Market, the first and largest of its kind in the Middle East.
The market aims to provide UAE livestock breeders with easy access to high-quality animal feed at competitive prices while ensuring safe and sustainable solutions for local fodder companies to access markets.
The Fodder Market has the capacity to serve around 40,000 breeders across the UAE and cater to more than 5 million livestock.
The feed trade in the UAE is valued at more than AED2.5 billion annually, with a volume of about 3 million tons. The launch of the Fodder Market is expected to boost trade and promote fair competition among suppliers, thereby contributing to the growth of the feed market.
Located near livestock farms (Ezbah), the Fodder Market is linked to a group of existing regular markets, in addition to an online platform for trading feed available to all companies in the UAE.
There are already 12 markets in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, including 85 outlets allocated to 30 companies for the sale and marketing of animal feed.
More of these markets will be established with the inclusion of more companies specialising in the sale and marketing of feed.
The 12 fodder outlets in the emirate are Al Faya in Abu Dhabi City; Al Sila, Al Mirfa, Ghayathi, Khanoor/Hossan, and Tharwaniyyah in Al Dhafra Region; and Wahat Al Sahra, Al Ouya, Bu Kuraya, Al Dhahira, Nahel, and Al Anjah in Al Ain.
His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan stressed the UAE's keenness, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to mobilise resources, capabilities and energies to enable sustainable food production and create an integrated self-sufficiency system that supports the National Food Security Strategy in accordance with the highest food safety standards.
His Highness pointed out that the Fodder Market is an important initiative to regulate the feed trade in the country. It combines physical markets with an online platform, allowing buyers to see their purchases in real time.
His Highness said: “The promotion of the livestock sector is crucial to increasing self-sufficiency in animal products. It is imperative to create an enabling environment for sustainable production, and the implementation of the Fodder Market will play a significant role in enhancing livestock productivity by ensuring proper nutrition, promoting sustainable practices, and empowering livestock breeders as a vital and effective component of the national food security system. The Fodder Market also aims to improve the efficiency of feed utilisation, increase productivity and economic viability, and ensure the continued growth and sustainability of the livestock industry”.
Saeed Al Bahri Al Ameri, Director General of ADAFSA, stressed that the Fodder Market aims to connect feed buyers from all emirates with suppliers approved by ADAFSA. This will allow for transparent and easy sales and purchases, ensuring that livestock breeders obtain their needs of feed with the highest quality and the best prices, ultimately achieving the sustainability and development of livestock.
He said: "Livestock owners across all emirates will be able to obtain high-quality products from trusted suppliers via the Fodder Market, which is linked to regular markets in addition to an online platform. This outlet is the first of its kind in the Middle East and the largest in terms of the volume and value of trades that will take place annually."
In addition to the benefits of diversity and a wide variety of grass and compound feed available through registered companies, whether through the regular market or the online platform, the outlet will also save time and effort for breeders by protecting them from dealing with street vendors or purchasing fodder of unknown origin.
He stated that one of the key pillars for achieving the goals of the National Food Security Strategy and ensuring the abundance and safety of food for all members of society is the development of the livestock sector in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, in line with the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The launch of the Fodder Market would also raise the calibre of fodder that is sold and traded on the markets and spur supplier competition to satisfy market demands for fodder and animal food in accordance with international standards, thus helping to safeguard, advance livestock and boost animal productivity, and increase the economic return of breeders.
He drew attention to the steady support of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan to ADAFSA, as His Highness’ directives consistently emphasise the importance of sustaining the agricultural sector, both plant and animal, building the capacities of farmers and breeders, and empowering the private sector. This is to ensure the development of agricultural production and livestock and raise its production efficiency to meet the market's needs of fresh meat, dairy, and other animal products of international quality.