Armela Farms – horticulture
Armela Farms is the leading expert in hydroponic farming and largest producer of water-grown lettuce in the United Arab Emirates, with a current production capacity of 1.6 million lettuce heads – the equivalent of 330 tonnes per year. As an innovator in the large-scale commercial production, packing and distribution of lettuce and kale, Armela Farms utilises cutting-edge hydroponic growing technology, on-site storage, packing, and local distribution methods to redefine local food supply. By producing natural, eco-friendly, locally grown, farm-fresh, 100%-pesticide-free products, Armela Farms continuously reaffirms its commitment to feeding people in cities in a way that is positive for the environment.
The United Arab Emirates is globally renowned for blending the core values of its agricultural history with the latest innovations and technologies. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has prioritised increasing the use of hydroponic farms, cooling and climate control technologies to overcome the historical problems of scarcity of water resources and arable land, soil salinity, difficult environmental conditions and typically high production costs. Consequently, Armela Farms is striving to perfect the process and become the industry standard in United Arab Emirates.
After launching the company in August 2016, the Armela team has spent more than two years in Research and Development regarding the best techniques, varieties of produce and optimum climate conditions, before celebrating their first harvest in August 2018. Since then, the team has advanced its process to achieve over 250% of an increase in production and is currently finalising the opening of a new facility for Q1 2021, which will boast over 3 hectares of fully automated advanced lettuce farm, making the largest commercial hydroponic project in the UAE.
At Armela Farms, produce is delivered immediately upon harvesting, with no or minimum storage or shipping time, to provide customers with produce that is fresher, tastier and more nutritious, while lasting longer. As the topic of food security becomes more prevalent across the GCC, these fantastic new technologies are going to make access to affordable and nutritious food easier for everyone.
Avir Shah, CEO and Co-Founder of Armela Farms, states, “Our mission is to sell hydroponic produce that is of high quality and high nutritional value, to maximize consumer benefits towards healthy living the in United Arab Emirates.”
Rachana Shah, Director and Co-Founder at Armela Farms, adds, “Most people maybe don’t realise is that locally produced harvest, and, in particular, commercial hydroponics farming, provide not only better quality products, but also a cheaper price tag to benefit the customer, be it retailers or consumers.”