Lithuania’s agri-food exports to UAE rise

Sajjad Ahmad, Deputy Business Editor

The UAE is one of the important trade partners of the Republic of Lithuania in the GCC region. The Republic of Lithuania marks a significant 5.4 per cent increase, compared to the previous year, in exporting its agricultural food to the UAE amounting to Dhs63.7 million, said Vytenis Tomkus, Vice Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania.

The Northern European country sees massive opportunities for significantly expanding its already established food and beverage trade in the UAE and the Middle East region.

The bilateral trade between the UAE and Lithuania grew by 124 per cent in the previous year, totalling Dhs700.3 million, which makes the UAE the largest market for Lithuania in the Gulf region. Exports from Lithuania amounted to Dhs644.9 million with an annual growth of 136 per cent.

In an exclusive interview with the Gulf Today on the sidelines of Gulfood 2024, Vytenis Tomkus said that Baltic nation is bringing ‘You are what you E.A.T (Exceptional, Advanced and Tasty) food approach to the Gulfood.

“This is because Lithuania, where the climate is neither too hot nor too cold for growing quality produce at scale, blends the best of nature with the latest in technology. With more than a third of its territory covered by forests, Lithuania boasts clean air and a relatively low number of heavy industry enterprises. In addition to that, it has access to vast resources of artesian groundwater – clean water that’s 100 per cent free of human impact,” he added.

“We are proud to present a massive range of Lithuanian food products at Gulfood 2024. This will enhance our opportunities to take Lithuanian food products to Arab countries and wider global markets. The agriculture and food industries are key economic sectors for Lithuania, with long-standing production traditions and growing export levels,” said Tomkus.

Litfood, Lithuania’s food export promotion agency, presents 20 top-tier food manufacturers at the Gulfood showcasing their range of sustainably produced food products of ‘E’xceptional quality made according to the highest standards of European Union, using ‘A’dvanced technologies and solutions but maintaining centuries old traditions and most important ‘T’asty to all the tongues of the world.

Sarunas Celiesius, Director of LitFOOD, said, “Our food products are known for cleaner sources and are produced using sustainable solutions and advanced technologies in the agri-food industry. With sustainability in mind, our farmers and food producers are also increasingly deploying technologies that make agriculture and food production more environmentally friendly as well as sustainable. Our food producers use advanced technologies like freeze drying, 3D printing, and vertical farming to produce nutrient-rich products that have a range of advantages, including customization, long shelf life, and reduced environmental impact.”

“Products grown and made in Lithuania meet the highest food quality standards. We place a strong emphasis on the safety and quality of food production to provide consumers with top-quality products,” concluded Celiesius.

According to insights from LitFOOD, Lithuania predominantly exported its non-agricultural food products to the UAE market, accounting for 29.3 per cent of the total export. The product range included concentrated milk and cream (29.2 per cent), cheese and curd (10.4 per cent), malt beverages (9.9 per cent), fish (3.9 per cent), and processed cereals (3.2 per cent).

Lithuania is predominantly known to the world as a booming startup community (700+ companies), a country that has a deeply ingrained appreciation for open data and developed collaboration between researchers and entrepreneurs. A country of under three million people, Lithuania has a solid track record of innovation – from co-creating one of the world’s largest scientific lasers and building nano satellites to the first Lithuanian-made tractor powered by cow dung.

Lithuania is one of the world’s most reliable places for growing quality food in a clean environment. The country boasts access to vast artesian groundwater resources, few heavy industry enterprises, and relatively low levels of pesticide use.