Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdullah Al Qassimi, Chairman of Sharjah Sea Ports & Customs, opened the region’s largest pulses storage facility in Sharjah Hamriya Free Zone on Thursday.

Established with an investment of more than Dhs150 million by the foodstuff company Arab India Spices, the new facility can store, process and feed the entire population of UAE for at least six months.

Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in Dubai Ilker Kilic, Consul General of Canada in Dubai Jean Philippe Linteau, Sharjah Hamriya Free Zone Director Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Arab India Spices MD Harish Tahiliani and its Chairman Kumarbhai Tahiliani were also present on the occasion.

“The 12 silos were placed by the finest technology from Turkey (My Silo) and ensuring the global standards of keeping the pulses and lentils at its designated parameters in temperature, cleanliness and durability. A fully automated loading and unloading system is in place for storage and delivery in wholesale,” said Harish Tahiliani.

The UAE, Canada, Turkey are the concerned countries in this mega project as Canada supplies bulk quantities of pulses and lentils from the original agricultural sources to the UAE. All the farm growing countries are involved in sending their shipments to Sharjah now as part of this Silo project which can ensure a bigger role in keeping the food security of UAE at its best.

“We purchase bulk quantity of the grains from the source countries with specified quality control using local farmers and agents. We even check the entire process of cultivation including the usage of fertilisers, quality of the soil and their quality of basic seed storage facilities for improving the security measures of the pulses and lentils,” said Harish Tahiliani.