UAE sets 25% local food target for hotels with $272m fund
Industrial fund backs farm certification programme targeting 80% of operations under UAE GAP standard.
The United Arab Emirates has announced a $272 million industrial fund to support local food production, alongside a target for hotels and restaurants to source 25% of their food locally. The initiative includes a certification programme targeting 80% of farms under the UAE Good Agricultural Practices standard. The announcement was made by the UAE government and published on 15 January 2025.
Industrial fund allocation and scope#
The $272 million fund has been allocated to support national food production across the country. The fund is part of a programme to increase the share of locally produced food in the hospitality sector. The allocation covers production facilities, processing operations and distribution infrastructure for food products. No breakdown of the fund's distribution across these categories was disclosed in the announcement. The fund backs products classified as national under the programme's criteria. No timeline for disbursement or application process was specified in the published announcement.
Sourcing target for hospitality operators#
Hotels and restaurants operating in the UAE are targeted to source 25% of their food from local producers. The target applies to the hospitality sector and forms part of the broader food security programme. The 25% figure represents the proportion of food by volume or value that operators are expected to source domestically. No compliance date or enforcement mechanism was specified in the announcement. The target covers hotels and restaurants across all emirates. No exemptions or phase-in period were mentioned in the published material.
Farm certification programme under UAE GAP#
The UAE GAP certification programme targets 80% of farms in the country. The Good Agricultural Practices standard covers production methods, quality requirements and traceability systems for agricultural operations. The announcement did not state the current certification rate or the timeline for reaching the 80% target. The certification applies to farms producing food for domestic consumption and for the hospitality sector. The programme is part of the broader initiative linking local production to the sourcing target for hotels and restaurants.
Programme structure and implementation#
The initiatives cover food production, certification and sourcing across the hospitality sector. The programme includes the industrial fund, the sourcing target and the farm certification standard. The three components are designed to operate together, with the fund supporting production capacity, the certification ensuring quality standards, and the sourcing target creating demand from hospitality operators. No implementation body or coordinating authority was named in the announcement.
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- arabianbusiness.comArabian Business$272m fund allocation, 25% local sourcing target for hotels and restaurants, 80% farm certification target under UAE GAP standard
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