Tomato in UAE Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024 - 2029)

Due to its geographic location, the UAE's agriculture sector is not the most significant one. In addition, the nation is characterized by a lack of adequate natural waterways, extremely high temperatures, low soil quality, a lack of arable land, and very little rainfall, all of which contribute to the absence of a significant agricultural sector. The total arable land in the UAE is only approximately 1600 square kilometers out of the total land area of around 71,023 square kilometers.

Due to the lack of agricultural resources, the production of tomatoes is decreasing. For instance, according ng to FAO, in 2020, the tomato production volume decreased to 43.12 thousand metric tons from 60.8 thousand tons in 2019. Hence, owing to the decreased production volume and despite various agricultural challenges faced by the country, the government has taken it as a challenge and is taking various measures to improve food production and security in the country. For instance, the Abu Dhabi government is backing four vertical farming initiatives to the tune of USD 100 million.to FAO, in 2020, the tomato production volume decreased to 43.12 thousand metric tons from 60.8 thousand tons in 2019. Hence, owing to the decreased production volume and despite various agricultural challenges faced by the country, the government has taken it as a challenge and is taking various measures to improve food production and security in the country. For instance, the Abu Dhabi government is backing four vertical farming initiatives to the tune of USD 100m. To "turn sand into farmland, solve complex global agriculture challenges, and raise the profile of local food producers," the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) is supporting AeroFarms, Madar Farms, RNZ, and Responsive Drip Irrigation (RDI) in their efforts to establish new R&D and production facilities in the nation.

The UAE government claimed that the investment in "farming" in a controlled environment is "dedicated to developing next-generation agriculture in arid and desert agriculture." Vertical farming is gaining popularity among UAE farmers, especially for growing local vegetables such as tomatoes with small water sources. Vertical farming needs much less space for vegetables to grow, making it a great farming solution to the challenges posed by the soil and the country's limited water.

Similarly, the national food security strategy 2051, which consists of 38 both long-term and short-term projects, was also introduced in November 2018 with the main goal of employing agricultural practices that enhance the quantity of food produced sustainably. Among other things, the strategy's main objectives include increasing domestic food production, implementing measures to increase food's nutritional value, and forming international alliances with other nations to diversify food sources. The national system for sustainable agriculture was approved by the UAE Cabinet on June 28, 2020. Its goals are to enhance farm productivity, increase food self-sufficiency, and develop new opportunities to guarantee that the agriculture sector is consistently listed among the best. Such government initiatives with extensive financial and political support for enhanced agricultural production in the country through technological innovation are anticipated to raise the production level of tomatoes during the forecast period.