DUBAI: The number of food shipments reached Dubai through land, sea and air in 2016 was 351,761 and the total imported food volume reached 33.743 million tons, said Dubai Essam Al Hashimi, Head of the municipality’s Food Trade Control Section said that there has been a significant increase in 2016 in the quantity of food imported to Dubai in comparison with the previous years. “In 2013, it was 293,903 shipments that came to Dubai, which rose to 317,879 shipments in 2014 and to 339,979 in 2015. However, last year the number of shipments rose to 351,761, of which 343,793 shipments were imported to the local market and 7,968 shipments were for re-export,” said Al Hashimi.
“However, despite an increase in the quantity of food imported to Dubai last year, the proportion of damaged food was reduced and minimized compared to previous years,” pointed out Al Hashimi. He added that the drop in cases of damaged food was due to the strict policies of the government of Dubai, which aims to minimize the quantity of damaged food that reaches Dubai. “In the year 2013, we had destroyed 30,420kg of damaged food, while the damaged food destroyed during the past year was only 13,952kg,” pointed out Al Hashimi. He said that the number of foodstuff companies registered in the Dubai Municipality electronic system for export and import has increased from 886 in 2013 to 3,253 last year.
