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
Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain said on Monday that they have intercepted Iranian aerial attacks.
The Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army said in a statement Monday night that its air defenses intercepted three missiles launched from Iran.
It said the interception caused no casualties or material damage, adding that it remains on high alert and will respond firmly to any threats to national security and sovereignty.
The General Command of the Bahrain Defense Force said that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed multiple Iranian aerial attacks against the kingdom.
It condemned what it called Iran's "systematic hostile approach," saying the "deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilians and private property" violates international humanitarian law.
Kuwait's armed forces said on Monday its air defense systems were intercepting "hostile" missile and drone attacks, as explosions were heard in parts of the country.
In a statement on social media platform X, the General Staff of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces confirmed the explosions resulted from air defense systems engaging with "hostile" aerial attacks, urging the public to follow safety instructions issued by authorities.
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps said earlier on Monday that it had launched missile and drone strikes against U.S. assets and facilities in Kuwait and Jordan in response to continued U.S. airstrikes on Iran.
Recent strikes on Kuwait targeted military installations and some of its vital infrastructure, including oil facilities and power and water desalination plants, causing injuries and material damage.
Explosions were heard on Monday evening in Iran's southern provinces of Hormozgan and Fars, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.
Several explosions were heard in Hormozgan's Sirik County, Mehr cited local citizens as saying, adding the nature of the blast remains unclear.
It also quoted Seyed Ahmad Ahmadizadeh, Fars' deputy governor for political, security and social affairs, as saying that the United States has carried out an airstrike against a region in the provincial capital Shiraz, without causing casualties.
Earlier in the day, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared a "full-scale war" with the United States. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran has received mediation proposals and keeps its diplomatic channels open.
The United States has launched multiple strikes on Iran's southern provinces over the past week, saying they were aimed at "degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping."
Iran has responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. military bases and facilities in regional countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.
Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain say intercepted Iranian aerial attacks
