by Zhao Danliang, Wen Xinnian
DUBAI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- In the sweltering heat of July, deep in the desert of Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), rows of cherry tomatoes glow like rubies beneath greenhouse canopies, a vivid contrast to the golden dunes outside.
At the 5-hectare oasis of the UAE Green Silicon Valley Industrial Park, a joint agricultural base run by China's Shouguang Vegetable Industry Group (SVG) and the UAE's agritech firm Silal, Tang Quanzhi surveys the harvest, defying the scorching heat, minimal rainfall, and intense sunlight.
"During peak summer, we're the only farm in the UAE still producing tomatoes," said Tang, general manager of the base.
The secret lies in the battle-tested technology of Shouguang city in east China's Shandong Province, one of China's major vegetable production bases.
While the UAE has long depended on food imports, the base yields some 7,000 kg of over 10 varieties of produce daily -- tomatoes, sweet peppers, melons -- all grown with advanced growing techniques like seed development, desalinated groundwater, and solar power.
"Market response has been overwhelming. Demand far exceeds supply," Tang said while plucking a sun-warmed cherry tomato. Its burst of sweetness confirms why Silal's clients clamor for more.
In May, Silal and the SVG signed a strategic partnership to establish a 33-million-U.S.-dollar 10-hectare smart agricultural center in Al Ain, with key features of AI laboratories, automated irrigation systems, post-harvest processing units, and logistics centers.
"We aim to build a scalable model of modern agriculture using Chinese technology, contributing to food security across the Gulf," said Silal CEO Salmeen Alameri.
According to Tang, the center is scheduled to begin operations in December.
Now, adapting Shouguang's winter solutions to UAE summers, engineers have already crafted a closed-loop system: soil-free cultivation, temperature control, and efficient irrigation. "We're currently testing 18 melon varieties, and they'll be market-ready in 38 days," Tang said.
"China's greenhouse technologies are perfectly suited to our conditions. They've significantly improved yields and value," said Rachid Mimid, Silal's on-site manager.
"Everything grown here looks great and tastes even better. Our customers are very satisfied," Ali, a client representative who did not provide his full name, said while loading crates for delivery.
As desert winds buffet the base, Tang envisioned shelves stocked with nearly 100 Chinese vegetable and fruit varieties in the coming years, so that "local people can enjoy greater variety and better prices."
"Chinese agricultural technology has vast potential in the UAE," Tang said.
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