If you’ve walked into a supermarket recently and found your favourite fruits and veggies right where they should be — that didn’t happen by accident.
With ongoing disruptions to regional shipping routes across the Middle East, keeping fresh produce flowing into the UAE has taken a whole lot of behind-the-scenes hustle. And that’s exactly what we’ve been doing.
So, what’s going on?
Geopolitical pressures have been putting real strain on logistics corridors across the region. When shipping routes get disrupted, supply chains feel it fast — and fresh produce is one of the most time-sensitive categories out there. Berries don’t wait. Neither do chillies.
As soon as we saw the early signs of disruption, our teams kicked into action. No waiting to see how things unfolded — just a fast, coordinated response to make sure shelves stayed stocked.
Here’s what we did
We tapped into our global grower network and activated alternative suppliers quickly. We rerouted cargo through available ports and corridors. We scaled up import volumes by around 50% to close any gaps in availability. And we used every mode of transport at our disposal — road, air and sea.
In just the past week alone, that looked like this:
🚚 Around 3,000 tonnes delivered via land corridors from Jordan, Turkey, Syria and Egypt
✈️ 500 tonnes of time-sensitive produce flown in via Emirates and Etihad Airways
🚢 1,200 tonnes routed through Port of Khor Fakkan and Port of Fujairah
And there’s more on the way — an additional 17,000 tonnes of fresh produce is expected to arrive in the coming days.
Grown right here in the UAE
On top of everything we’re importing, we’re also proud to supply around 6,000 tonnes every month from UAE-grown farms under our own Mahsool brand by ESG Agro. Local farming is a big part of how the UAE builds long-term food resilience — and we’re glad to be part of that story.
“Our foremost priority is to prevent any disruption to the availability of fresh produce in the UAE market. Consumers should continue to find fruits and vegetables on shelves just as they would on any normal day — from berries to beans, plums to potatoes, and cherries to chillies.”
— Mohammed Al Rifai, Group CEO, NRTC Group
Once it arrives, it moves fast
Getting produce to the UAE is only half the equation. Once it lands, it moves through our temperature-controlled distribution network — straight to supermarkets, wholesale markets, restaurants and foodservice operators across the country. The cold chain stays unbroken. Quality stays intact.
A small ask from our side
Fresh produce travels a long way to reach your table. Our teams work around the clock to make sure it gets there — but we’d love your help too. During times like these, being mindful about what you buy and reducing food waste goes a long way for the whole community.
As Mohammed Al Rifai put it: “Responsible consumption ensures these resources benefit the entire community.”
The bottom line? Your fruits and vegetables aren’t going anywhere. We’ll keep doing what we do — so you don’t have to worry about it.
About NRTC
NRTC is a core subsidiary of Ghitha Holding PJSC, part of International Holding Company (IHC), and the official fresh fruits and vegetable handler for the UAE market. Through its global sourcing network, multi-modal logistics and locally grown Mahsool brand, NRTC works to keep fresh produce accessible and available for everyone across the UAE.
