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29 March 2024

UAE likely to win bid to host IFOAM headquarters

(Right to Left) Eng. Redha Hassan Salman, Director-Public Health & Safety Department, Dubai Municipality; Dr Saad A. Kh. Esa, Advisor Ministry ofAgriculture, Saudi Arabia; Sultan Abdulla Alwan Al Hebsi, Assistant Undersecretary, External Audit, Ministry of Environment & Water, UAE; Joby Mathew Muricken, Project Lead, Global Links Dubai; and Juma Al Hosani, Founder & Chairman Organic, address the press conference in Dubai on Wednesday. (SUPPLIED)

Published
By Waheed Abbas

The UAE is likely to win right to host Middle East headquarters of International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) in a voting set to take place in Dubai next week, officials said.

“The UAE is an important candidate and is most likely to host the regional headquarters of IFOAM,” said Dr. Saad A. Khalil Esa, Advisor of the Minister of Agriculture and General Supervisor of the Organic Farming Project in Saudi Arabia.

He said no other GCC country is participating in the bidding and is in fact supported by regional countries. There is only one contender, Iran, bidding to host the IFOAM headquarters after Turkey and Jordan pulled out at the eleventh hour.

Esa was speaking at the press conference in Dubai prior to the start of the 10th edition of organic and natural products show MENOPE 2012. Saudi organic market, according to Esa, is estimated at one billion Saudi riyals and is growing at stead rate.

The consumption of organic food is growing by approximately 15 to 20 per cent across the region mainly due to increased public awareness and entrance of new players in the industry.

Earlier this year, the UAE passed a new law for certification and standard of organic products. Under the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA) law, local organic produce as well as imported products will have to conform to the UAE Mark standards before it’s sold in the market. The UAE laws are compatible with the international standards and regulations of organic food markets.

Global Links, organiser of organic products expo MENOPE 2012, said more than 110 companies from 25 countries will participate in the exhibition – which will run from November 27 to 29 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Companies will be showing herbals and spices, food and beverages, cereal products, supplements, healthcare products, natural living, cosmetics, healing products, natural remedies, traditional medicines, spas, relaxation facilities, pet products and fabrics. It’s expected that over 5,000 trade visitors from the across the region and Indian Subcontinent would visit the expo.

MENOPE will see country pavilion participation from Germany, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, US, Italy, Romania, Spain and UAE. There will also be seminars taking place along with the exhibition.