ABU DHABI, 1st June, 2023 (WAM) — The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has entered into agreements with 13 leading local companies to establish partnerships in the sale and marketing of high-quality grass and concentrated feed.
These agreements aim to fulfil the requirements of the livestock sector in the country and support the development of the “Fodder Market.”
The agreements were signed on behalf of the Authority by Saeed Al Bahri Al Ameri, Director-General of ADAFSA, while the representative of each company signed the agreement for his company, in the presence of Mariam Harib Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director-General of ADAFSA for Operational Affairs; Mouza Suhail Al Muhairi, Deputy Director-General of ADAFSA for Regulatory and Administrative Affairs; Rashid Mohammed Belrasas Al Mansouri, Executive Director of the Animal Wealth Sector, in addition to a number of officials and owners of leading feed companies in the country.
Maryam Al Suwaidi said, "These agreements align with 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 ADAFSA, to establish the 'Fodder Market' and support livestock breeders nationwide. Our aim is to ensure a strategic and uninterrupted supply of fodder throughout the year, while empowering the private sector and leading companies in this field".
“We are proud to collaborate with national companies that have demonstrated their efficiency and ability to provide the livestock sector with the best feed options. We will work together to establish the 'Fodder Market' as a premier centre for feed trade, catering to breeders across the country. ADAFSA remains committed to fostering a productive partnership with the private sector, supporting national companies in agriculture and livestock, and bolstering the vital feed industry to ensure sustainable livestock development,” she added.
Highlighting the significance of animal feed in livestock rearing, Rashid Mohammed Al Mansoori said that fodder constitutes more than 70 percent of the cost of raising livestock, so ADAFSA is keen to enhance the animal feed trade system and improve its quality by creating fair competition among leading national companies and consolidating their ability to meet the needs of livestock for high-quality fodder.
Al Mansoori revealed that the signed companies underwent a comprehensive evaluation process based on specific criteria. These criteria encompassed the company's capacity to create added value for the "Fodder Market" and the animal wealth sector, local market presence, product quality and safety, operational and storage capabilities, financial stability, adherence to quality and safety standards. The market remains open to all national companies and factories committed to meeting these standards.
Under the agreements, the signatories are obligated to provide quantities of fodder for sale to breeders, ensuring a sustainable supply of fodder while enhancing the strategic stock of animal feed.
To guarantee the feed quality provided by the companies, the agreements stipulate that each company must provide the Authority with relevant data, information, and documents concerning the supplied feed shipments. These include item and weight data, container numbers, shipping documents, country of origin, arrival dates or expected arrival dates, laboratory examination documents, storage locations, and information on quantities available for sale on the electronic system. Compliance with these requirements consolidates the Authority's tracking system, facilitating verification of the animal feed's quality.
The "Fodder Market," the largest and first of its kind in the Middle East, was launched by ADAFSA with the aim of providing livestock breeders in the country with convenient access to high-quality feed at competitive prices. 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 at the UAE level.
There are already 12 markets in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, including 85 outlets allocated to accommodate about 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 Market serves approximately 40,000 breeders nationwide and meeting the needs of over 5 million head of livestock.