In the Nazwa Desert of the United Arab Emirates, Wemart operates two organic farms covering more than 130 mu (8.7 hectares). These farms grow over 30 types of Chinese vegetables and yield nearly 5,000 kg of fresh produce daily, supplying locals and the UAE's almost 400,000 Chinese expats.
Sun Wenbin, who manages both farms, said the most popular vegetable is bok choy, with a daily output of 600 kg. Other vegetables include romaine lettuce, white radish, chives and coriander. Besides supplying Wemart's own stores, these vegetables are also delivered to the canteens of many Chinese enterprises.
This achievement stems from a 20-year journey of desert farming, a venture once seen by many others as a pipe dream. In 2006, Sun Jiansheng, a businessman from Wenzhou, in East China's Zhejiang province, arrived in Dubai and opened a small food store. He soon noticed a gap: Imported Chinese cabbage cost over 100 dirhams ($27.4) per kg and lost freshness after long-haul transport.
In 2012, as his business thrived, he bet his entire fortune on growing Chinese organic leafy greens in the deserts — a bold attempt with enormous challenges. For more than half the year, temperatures soared to over 40 C, even reaching 60 C. The land was also infertile due to extremely scarce rainfall.
Read more at China Daily
