Page 27 - AA 2024

Kuwait

Kuwait Vegetables and Fruits Market

Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024 - 2029)

• The country has low domestic total area under cultivation of fruits and
production capabilities for fruits and vegetables in the country has increased
vegetables, as the soil in the region is significantly in recent years. Tomatoes,
soft in organic content, has low-nutrient cucumbers, dates, eggplants, pumpkins,
holding abilities, and has poor moisture- lettuce, watermelons, strawberries, and
retaining capacity. The natural water oranges are some of the major crops
resources required for irrigation are produced in the country. The overall
minimal, with most of the water used area harvested under the vegetables of
from desalination plants, which consume primary importance in 2021 accounted
a lot of electricity, increasing the cost of for 5,164 hectares, which increased from
farming for domestic farmers, as there are 4,951 hectares in 2019.
no subsidies for electricity in the country. with an average population growth rate of Due to environmental and water
• The Government of Kuwait is 3.5%. The government has low domestic resource problems, the country relies
encouraging agricultural companies production capabilities for fruits and a lot on supplemental irrigation and
to invest in foreign countries with a vegetables, as the soil in the region is greenhouse production. In 2020, the first
comparative advantage in producing soft in organic content with low nutrient- large-scale indoor vertical farm in the
certain crops and importing their holding abilities and poor moisture- Middle East opened in Kuwait. It used
products back into Kuwait. The Kuwaiti retaining capacity. The natural water Dryponics technology to grow 250 kinds
government provides financial incentives resources required for irrigation are of greens and herbs. With approximately
to encourage investors to participate in minimal, with most water used coming 3,000 square meters of farming space,
this food security initiative and invest from desalination plants that consume a the innovative facility has a daily output
overseas. Thus, the harsh climatic lot of electricity. Domestic farmers cannot capacity of up to 550 kg of salad, herbs,
conditions and vulnerable water and soil bear the costs as there are no subsidies and cresses and uses cutting-edge
resources are the significant constraints for electricity. vertical farming methods that consume
faced by the agriculture sector in Kuwait; Thus, the agricultural sector in Kuwait 90% less water than traditional farming.
hence, the country primarily depends on faces significant challenges due to harsh Also, the government recognizes the need
importing fruits and vegetables. climatic conditions and vulnerable water to bring in dryland urban agriculture,
• Furthermore, the non-issuance of non- and soil resources. Hence, the country innovative technologies, and skilled
exposure permits for some sales centers mainly depends on importing fruits and labor to enhance its food production.
and owners of stalls, no parallel operation vegetables. The United States, Lebanon, Thus, the increased area and innovation
of supermarkets in the commercial areas, India, and South Africa are the major in agriculture are anticipated to drive the
precautionary policies forced upon some exporters of fruits to the country. As per market during the coming year.
cooperatives and markets, discontinuation the ITC trade map, in 2021, the country’s Kuwait Vegetables and Fruits
of the ‘barcode’ system for individual overall import volume of fruits accounted Market News
shopping and stopping restaurants and for 49,227 metric tons, with the United
groceries from buying vegetables and States and Lebanon holding a significant • October 2022: The Ministry of Social
fruits are some of the significant factors share of 29.1% and 17.3%. Further, India, Affairs has agreed in principle to the
influencing the fruits and vegetables Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt are the major initiative of the Public Authority for
market in the country. Thus, the growing exporters of vegetables to the country. Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources
demand for fruits and vegetables in Hence, the increased demand for fruits to establish and develop a national
Kuwait is attributed to the increasing and vegetables in the country with the electronic platform called “Deirtna
disposable incomes of the people and the less favorable cultivation conditions Farms” to support the marketing of
increasing health concerns of the Kuwaiti created a market potential for imports, local fruit and vegetable produce by
population. which is further anticipated to drive the agricultural holdings affiliated with the
Kuwait Vegetables and Fruits market in the country during the forecast Authority.
Market Trends period. • September 2022: Syedna government
Increased Area and Innovation in gifted 250 date palm trees as a gesture
The country has a total arable land Agriculture of support to the government and
area of about 10,600 ha, or about 0.6% people of Kuwait, especially the farming
of the total land area. This domestic The agricultural areas in the country are community in the country. The donation
production capacity is insufficient to cater located in Wafra, in the south of Kuwait, project for date palm trees aims to
to the growing demand for fruits and Al-Abdali, in the north of Kuwait, and Al- promote sustainable agricultural options
vegetables. Kuwait is the second-most Sulaibiya, in the center. According to the in the region while reducing the effects of
populated country in the GCC region, Food and Agriculture Organization, the climate change.
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