An Emirati farmer known for his delicious pineapples says growing plants without chemicals or fertilizers is easy in the UAE. Abdullatif Al Banna grows 4,000 juicy, sweet pineapples yearly and encourages people to start farming in the country.
Al Banna is a farmer who has been growing thousands of pineapples on his farm in Al Awir for more than eight years. "I have four greenhouses measuring 36 by 8 meters, and in each of them, I have 1,000 pineapples," he said, speaking to Khaleej Times. "In addition, I have tomatoes, dates, and many other plants. But the pineapples are the most unique ones."
"Three months during the year, we have a suitable environment for planting crops," he said, addressing a room full of business leaders, students, and community members at the Climate Future Week (CFW). "We have a suitable environment. All we need is for people to work hard on their farms or gardens. I hope every individual plants something, even if they have a small patch in their garden. It will help the environment."
Addressing the crowds, he also advised them not to use fertilizers. "Using chemicals will kill the insects that are really important for the environment cycle," he said. "We need to balance the environment cycle. Focus on growing high-quality products without any fertilizers. That is the best way to benefit the environment."