Koppert Biological Systems has signed an agreement with Agritek – its new distribution partner in the United Arab Emirates. The agreement was signed at the Joint Economic Committee Meeting of the Foreign Trade Ministries of the UAE and the Netherlands at the Expo 2020 in Dubai on Tuesday, 2 November. Agritek specializes in smart horticultural and agricultural solutions and is based in Abu Dhabi.
The signing ceremony with Agritek followed the conclusion of a bilateral economic MoU between the UAE and the Netherlands. The top-level meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates, Dr Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, and the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation for the Netherlands, Tom de Bruijn. Nine leading Dutch companies in the water, energy, food, and sustainable urban development sectors held a CEO Round Table Meeting before the signing ceremony.
The agreement consolidates a successful trial period between Koppert and Agritek. The UAE government encourages sustainable farming practices, in which food safety and food security are key. Koppert’s biological solutions, together with know-how will help bring the latest innovations for natural pollination, soil and seed treatment and biocontrol for pests and diseases to growers in this region.
‘It is important that the rapid growth in horticulture that is taking place in the UAE is supported by a top-level partnership,’ says Koppert CEO, Henri Oosthoek at the signing ceremony in Dubai. ‘Koppert’s biological solutions and consultancy will improve crop health and yields for growers in the UAE and help the region to achieve its Social Development Goals.’
‘With the unprecedented growth and demand for our biological solutions in the United Arab Emirates, we have had to find a distributor with the same quality standards as Koppert. A partner with the capacity to handle our biological products and provide support services for our customers in the UAE,’ says Koppert’s Export Manager for the Middle East, North Africa and India, Yassin Lahiani. ‘Agritek is such a partner and I have every confidence in a rewarding, long-term relationship. The growth of horticulture has accelerated in this region over recent years, especially in the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and date palms, and there are high expectations for further growth in the future for the UAE.’