United Arab Emirates: consumption of fruit and vegetables is growing as more people live a healthy lifestyle

Middle East - English

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Jan 23, 2023, 04:00 ET

Fresh Up Your Life, the CSO Italy project funded by the European Union, supports the distribution of high quality, nutritious and healthy products, in the United Arab Emirates with a particular focus on sustainability and traceability of the supply chain to meet the growing market's demand.

Next appointment at the 28^th edition of Gulfood scheduled from 20 to 24 February 2023 in Dubai.

DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In the first half of 2022, the UAE recorded an import rate of over 41,000 tonnes of food per day. The figure is forecasted to grow due to a number of factors, including the growth of the population, the strong demand for imported products by foreigners living in the country and the significant expansion of the tourism sector with a high number of new hotels and resorts opened in recent years.

The multiculturalism of the country - about 88% of the total population is a foreigner - results in different food habits which translate into a variety of cuisines and a diversified demand for fresh products.

Consumers in the UAE have begun to include more fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet. The government's commitment to address the alarming rates of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease among the population and the recent pandemic, have changed the local consumption scenarios; according to a research commissioned by the Irish Food Board, 50% of the consumers from the UAE declared that they increasingly choose foods that help strengthen their immune system; 52% agree with the importance of the traceability factor in the products they consume and 56% think that quality standards are even more important today.

Fresh Up Your Life, the CSO Italy project funded by the European Union, support the promotion of high quality, nutritious and healthy fresh products in the United Arab Emirates until 2025, highlighting the themes of sustainability, clarity and traceability of the supply chain. Apofruit Italia, Cico-Mazzoni, Conserve Italia, Lagnasco Group, Oranfrizer, Origine, Unacoa also participate in the programme. Kiwis, apples, pears, blood oranges, pureed tomatoes (considering that pasta is the most imported product in this area) are the products on which the project will focus on.

"The increase demand of genuine products and the healthy lifestyle trend, represent an important driving force for the growth of Italian fruit and vegetable which are recognized and appreciated by the local consumers for the high quality" declared Paolo Bruni, President of CSO Italy. "With the Fresh Up Your Life project we will encourage the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables with both B2B and B2C initiatives, rewarding the quality, the transparency and the traceability of our supply chains. The next appointment will be in February at Gulfood, the most important event in the Middle East for the food and beverage industry, a crossroads of flavours and trends at an international level"

Italy is the European leader in the production of kiwis with 330,150 tons in 2020 of which 246,824 tons (75% of the total) are produced by CSO Italy Members. As for apples, Italy is the main producer along with Poland, with 2.6 million tons produced in 2020 of which 1.7 million tons by CSO Italy Members. Italy is also leading in the production of pears, with 611,000 tons in 2020, of which 306,000 tons produced by member companies of CSO Italy. Finally, tomato puree exceeded 1 million tons in 2020, of which 530,000 produced by CSO Italy members.

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SOURCE CSO Italy