Fresh vegetables from China are appearing on supermarket shelves in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, just 48 hours after being harvested, ensuring maximum freshness and meeting local demand in the vegetable-import-reliant country.
At a local supermarket, shelves are packed with fresh Chinese farm produce, reflecting growing imports of cool-season vegetables from China.
With its desert climate, high temperatures and humidity, especially in summer, the UAE is not well suited for large-scale production of leafy greens.
In recent years, Chinese vegetable imports have become an essential supplement to the local supply.
A manager at the Dubai supermarket said that the entire cold-chain process - from harvesting in China to shelf display in Dubai - is completed within 48 hours, maintaining the freshness of the produce.
"Our customs clearance department collects the goods from the airport and delivers them to our warehouse within four hours. Within another two hours, we will distribute the vegetables to all our stores across the UAE. Throughout the year, Chinese vegetables account for about 60 percent of our total vegetable sales here," said Zhou Qiang, head of fruit and vegetable procurement at Wenchao Group.
While enriching daily meals, Chinese cool-season vegetables are also adding flavor to the UAE's dining scene.
Hadi, a Dubai restaurant owner who once worked in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, from 2008 to 2011, said he was drawn not only to the city's history but also to the unique taste of Chinese vegetables.
After returning home, Hadi opened a restaurant that now features several Chinese dishes on the menu.
Among them, stir-fried Shanghai bok choy has become a top seller.
"We don't [didn't] know about this [vegetable before], so now because of China, now we know bok choy. And many people are using bok choy, because of this. We get a lot of compliments not only from Chinese customers but also from foreigners. They really, really like bok choy," he said.
Fresh Chinese vegetables well received on Dubai supermarkets
