NEWS UPDATE
to develop programs to increase the engagement of landholders and farmers in the adoption of sustainable management practices, and encourage them to become commercial farmers,” he said. His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi added: “Local vegetable production provides around 20 percent of the market demand for fresh produce. While a wide range of crops is cultivated in the UAE, most are only harvested over a short season, with the majority offered in late winter or early spring. There are a few exceptions that extend over a season and are produced in greenhouses, whereas only one crop is produced for most of the year. Storing these crops to make
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GULF AGRICULTURE
them available in the markets all year round consumes a considerable amount of energy for cooling, which increases their final cost.” He elaborated that most farmers are reluctant to adopt modern farming techniques and prefer field production, as it is generally the easiest and most profitable approach. However, field production demands a high consumption of water even with the use of modern irrigation methods.
Evonik Animal Nutrition Holds first Distributor Seminar Egypt Evonik Animal Nutrition held recently a seminar to promote Ecobiol® product range in Hurghda, Egypt in coordination
with key local distributor, Egyptian Trading & Supplies (ETS). Ecobiol®, a feed additive consisting of beneficial bacteria, improves the health of the animal and helps producers solve quality, profitability and sustainability challenges. Not only does supplementing with Ecobiol® support microbial balance in the gut, Ecobiol also survives feed manufacturing processes and improves feed conversion. “In addition to introducing Ecobiol® to the local market, this event is the first one that Evonik Egypt conducts with the recently appointed distributor ETS. In this seminar, we hosted our distributor's technical team and the end customers to introduce new solutions from Evonik
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2018