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7/16/25, 4:42 PM H.E. Abdulla bin Touq leads economic delegation to Switzerland to explore best practices in the development of food cluster | Web …
H.E. Abdulla Bin Touq Leads Economic Delegation To Switzerland To

Explore Best Practices In The Development Of Food Cluster

By Editor_wr On Jul 12, 2025

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, led an economic delegation of leading national

companies from the food and agriculture sectors to Switzerland. The visit aimed to explore global best practices in
building food innovation ecosystems, developing food clusters, and promoting research, development, and the adoption

of sustainable solutions in the food sector.

As part of the visit, the delegation participated in an event titled ‘Empowering Innovation in the Food Sector and
Building Food Clusters for a Sustainable Economic Future,’ held at the headquarters of Bühler Group, a global leader in

industrial and food solutions based in Uzwil, Switzerland. The event brought together a distinguished group of private-
sector representatives, industry experts, and decision-makers from across the Swiss food sector and related institutions.

H.E. Bin Touq said: “The UAE has adopted an ambitious, strategic vision to develop an integrated and pioneering model

for food clusters, embedding it within the national economy. This forward-looking approach charts a promising path that
enhances economic and industrial integration across the country. By connecting multiple sectors within the value chain
– from agriculture and food manufacturing to transportation and logistics – it drives sustainable development, boosts

productivity, and advances economic diversification. This broader impact reinforces the UAE’s position as a leading
global hub for food industries, economic activity, and advanced manufacturing.”

H.E. said in his speech the event: “The food economic cluster aims to nurture and empower new generations of highly

skilled producers and farmers, equipped with world-class expertise and global knowledge of food and agricultural
practices. Over the next five years, we expect this model to contribute AED 10 billion to the GDP, increase trade

volumes by AED 15 billion, and create 20,000 job opportunities – all in line with the We the UAE 2031 vision to
position the nation among the world’s top ten countries in the Food Security Index.”

H.E. added: “The UAE’s food sector continues to grow steadily, with the number of registered local and international

food brands reaching 40,486 by the end of the first half of this year. In 2024, the value of the UAE’s trade in food
products rose to AED 148.6 billion, marking a 16.8%

increase compared to AED 127.2 billion in 2023. National food exports also grew by 10.9%, reaching AED 24.2 billion
in 2024 compared to the previous year.”

His Excellency described the event as a valuable platform to forge new paths of collaboration between UAE and Swiss

food companies, particularly in developing advanced food clusters and cutting-edge digital solutions. It also provides an
opportunity to examine Switzerland’s food innovation ecosystem and identify its prominent stakeholders, given Uzwil’s

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