While conflict, natural disasters and factory closures have severely impacted the supply of global food products, DP World maintains a robust food supply chain in the Middle East and beyond, through state-of-the-art infrastructure and unmatched digital trade solutions. Abdulla Al Hashmi, the Chief Operations Officer for Parks & Zones at DP World UAE explains the key role the company plays in securing the food supply chain.

Al Hashmi said, “The National Food Security Strategy 2051, launched in 2018, played a massive role in supporting the country’s progress towards ranking first in the Food Security Index. As a result, in 2022, the nation ranked 23rd worldwide and 1st in the Arab world for food safety and quality. To further support the national agenda, companies in the UAE need to capitalise on advanced technologies to ensure a sustainable food supply, increase local food production, and diversify sources of food imports.”

DP World operates four economic zones in the UAE and supports various other development areas. Two key contributors to the food sectors in the UAE are Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), our flagship free zone adjacent to Jebel Ali Port, and National Industries Park (NIP), an industrial zone in the local market.  Jebel Ali Free Zone facilitates over 20 per cent of Dubai’s Food and Beverage (F&B) trade value.

“Jafza has always been a significant contributor to the UAE’s food sector and plays a vital role in supporting its long-term objectives; the free zone is home to over 600 food and agri-commodity companies from 68 countries.”

Al Hashmi added, “Our strategic location and world-class logistics infrastructure provide access to the GCC markets, which rely on imports to meet 85 per cent of their F&B requirements, and global access to the fast-growing F&B markets in Mena, South Asia, and Africa. Our role as a regional logistics hub is to ensure availability and access to F&B resources for the entire region,” he concluded.