Saif Al Shara, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Sustainable Communities Sector and Acting Assistant Under-Secretary for the Food Diversity Sector at MoCCAE, said, "Enabling food products to compete in local and international markets is a priority that we aim to achieve in collaboration with our strategic partners from the public and private sectors. In this context, the Ministry has issued effective legislation and continues to roll out control processes to ensure our food products meet the latest international safety standards. We liaise with our counterparts in every target market to understand their import and health requirements, and develop plans to guarantee compliance of our food products."
He added, "With 4,500 tons produced annually, camel milk and its products are among the UAE’s signature foods. They are in high demand locally, and owing to Al Ain Farms and Emirates Industry for Camel Milk and Products (EICMP) – the manufacturer of the popular camel milk brand Camelicious, they are making inroads into regional and global markets. This requires continuous follow-up with the concerned authorities, such as the European Commission, to keep up to date with the import requirements and help local producers meet them."
During Q1 2021, MoCCAE worked with Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, Dubai Municipality, Al Ain Farms, and EICMP to secure the approval of the European Commission for the UAE’s Camel Milk Residue Monitoring Plan. This included overseeing the two manufacturers’ compliance with import requirements and submitting annual reports of residue percentages to the Commission.
Al Ain Farms and EICMP have undertaken action plans to comply with relevant legislation, which MoCCAE said has helped camel milk enter new markets. The two manufacturers’ products have been approved for export to the US and Canada.
Currently, MoCCAE, along with food control authorities and the two manufacturers, is liaising with Chinese authorities to obtain approval for exporting UAE camel milk and its products to China.