Lessons learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic are keeping the UAE's food supplies well stocked in the face of the threat from Iran, say experts. The Iranian missile attacks, which began on February 28, initially led to some residents rushing out to buy essential goods.
Supermarkets were quick to get the message out that there was no need to panic-buy. This is despite the country being heavily reliant on imports. Businesses such as Pure Harvest Smart Farms say a boost in local production gives supermarkets far better ability to fill their shelves.
"After the shock of Covid, which was quite sustained and problematic, the UAE invested even more in its supply chain infrastructure," said Sky Kurtz, founder and chief executive of Pure Harvest Smart Farms. "The country is able to absorb a shock like this. There's a relatively small population, plenty of wealth to solve it, and there are many other borders," he said. "There's trucks, and people are forgetting you can truck freight from Turkey and countries in the Levant and in many areas.
"There are many ways to get goods into the country or to freight them into your neighbour and then truck them from there. "There are many ways to supply this population. The country not only has plans in place, they have the will to do it as they've openly stated."
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