Sharjah has showcased a planned food-processing complex designed to strengthen local agriculture, increase farmers’ access to commercial markets and expand the emirate’s capacity to manufacture value-added products from dates and vegetables.The National Food Factory was presented at the 10th Al Dhaid Date Festival, which concluded at Expo Al Dhaid on Sunday. The project is being developed by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Hamda area of Mleiha as an integrated centre for processing, packaging, drying, storage and distribution.
The facility is planned to handle 5,000 metric tonnes of agricultural produce annually. Its services will cover date and vegetable processing, contract manufacturing, industrial packaging, private-label production, refrigerated storage, dry warehousing and logistics support.
By bringing these operations together, the project aims to address a longstanding challenge facing smaller farms: converting seasonal harvests into market-ready products with longer shelf lives and consistent quality. Dates that might otherwise be sold primarily as fresh produce could be cleaned, graded, packaged or incorporated into processed foods for retailers, hotels and export markets.
Vegetable growers will gain access to similar services, allowing produce to be prepared, packed and stored under controlled conditions. Refrigerated facilities could reduce spoilage between harvest and sale, while inventory systems are intended to improve traceability and supply-chain planning.
The factory will serve farmers, agricultural companies, marketing cooperatives, food and beverage manufacturers, distributors, retailers, exporters and hospitality businesses. Contract production will also enable companies without their own factories to manufacture and package products through the Mleiha facility.
Private-label services could help farms and smaller enterprises sell products under their own brands instead of supplying unprocessed produce to intermediaries. That shift would allow producers to retain a greater share of the value created after harvesting, although commercial gains will depend on pricing, product quality, distribution agreements and consumer demand.
Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, director-general of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the project would connect agricultural output with an advanced industrial system capable of responding to changing market requirements. He said the facility would give producers greater opportunities to improve quality and competitiveness.
The initiative forms part of Sharjah’s effort to expand food manufacturing and create stronger links between agriculture, industry and trade. It also supports the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051, which places greater emphasis on sustainable domestic production, modern technology, resilient supply chains and reliable access to food.
The country remains heavily connected to international food markets because of its arid climate, limited freshwater resources and restricted availability of cultivable land. Expanding domestic farming alone cannot eliminate that dependence, making processing, storage, stock management and diversified supply networks important parts of the food-security system.
Facilities capable of preserving local harvests can reduce losses and help maintain supplies beyond the growing season. They can also support import substitution in selected product categories, particularly where farms can provide sufficient volumes at competitive prices.
The factory’s location in Mleiha places it within Sharjah’s Central Region, where farming and date cultivation remain important economic activities. Al Dhaid, Mleiha and surrounding areas contain farms producing dates, vegetables, fruit, honey and livestock products, supported by agricultural exhibitions, markets and competitions intended to encourage quality and investment.
The Al Dhaid Date Festival has developed into a prominent platform for growers, traders and productive families. This year’s edition featured competitions for locally harvested dates and other crops, alongside displays highlighting palm cultivation, traditional farming and commercial opportunities.
Entries in the festival’s agricultural contests were required to come from participants’ own farms and from the UAE’s 2026 harvest. One competition attracted about 60 baskets of Al Ikhlas dates, while a fig contest drew additional growers, reflecting efforts to promote crop quality beyond the festival’s central focus on dates.
Productive families also marketed foods and handicrafts at the event with support from government and community organisations. Their participation demonstrated how agricultural festivals increasingly combine heritage activities with business development, branding and direct access to consumers.
The National Food Factory extends that approach beyond exhibitions by offering permanent industrial infrastructure. Advanced packaging and preparation could help local products meet the specifications of supermarkets, catering companies and overseas buyers, where uniformity, food safety, labelling and dependable supply are essential.
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