Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Mahsool, the national agri-food initiative and the flagship local farming programme endorsed by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NRTC (Nassar Al Rifai Trading Company) at Gulfood, marking a major milestone in advancing domestic food production and strengthening national food security.

Positioned as the face of the UAE’s local agriculture movement, Mahsool champions Emirati-grown produce through strong local participation, investment in innovation, and the deployment of climate-controlled greenhouses across the country.

The partnership brings together Mahsool’s technology-enabled farming platform with NRTC’s integrated farm-to-market model to deliver scalable, high-quality, GMO-free and pesticide-free UAE-grown produce to domestic markets.

Under the collaboration, NRTC partner ESG Agro will act as the grower and packhouse operator, currently managing 100 operational high-tech farms of approximately one hectare each, with plans to expand to 200 farms by 2027 and a five-year roadmap targeting 400 farms, including the introduction of mushroom production, while NRTC will serve as the commercial arm, driving market access, distribution, and go-to-market execution.

Mahsool-supported farms currently cultivate 22 different crop varieties, including cherry tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant, and chili peppers, using non-chemical, sustainable growing methods aligned with the UAE’s food resilience and sustainability goals.

At the heart of the operation is a state-of-the-art packhouse with a capacity of 300 tonnes per day, enabling efficient handling, grading, and distribution of fresh produce at scale.

Production forecasts underscore the programme’s rapid growth trajectory, with 20,000 tonnes of locally grown produce expected in 2026, significantly reducing reliance on imports while ensuring consistent, high-quality supply to the UAE market.

Commenting on the signing, Mohammed Alrifai, Group CEO of NRTC, said, “This MoU reflects our long-term commitment to building a resilient, future-ready agri-food ecosystem for the UAE. By linking advanced local farming with strong market access and execution, we are helping translate national food security ambitions into scalable, commercially viable outcomes.”

Together, Mahsool and NRTC aim to accelerate the availability of fresh, sustainably produced, locally grown food, reinforcing the UAE’s food security agenda through a commercially viable, scalable pathway from farm to shelf, powered by local production, advanced agri-technology, and established market channels.