Sharjah: His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, visited the wheat farm in Maliha, Sharjah, today to attend the first phase of the harvest.

A video of his visit has gone viral on social media, showing him meeting with dignitaries, unveiling a plaque, and observing the wheat being harvested. During his visit, a little girl welcomed Sheikh Sultan to the farm, and he graciously kissed her hand as everyone applauded.

The wheat farm in Maliha was launched in November 2022 to provide food needs and raise production rates to cover the needs of Sharjah’s cities and regions. The first phase of wheat cultivation covered an area of 400 hectares.

The project will be completed in three phases; the first phase will be on an area of 400 hectares, the second phase will be on an area of 880 hectares in 2024, and the third phase will reach its completion on an area of 1,400 hectares in 2025.

The quantities of the UAE’s wheat imports in 2022 amounted to 1.7 million metric tonnes, and the share of the emirate of Sharjah is 330,000 metric tonnes.

The wheat farm in Maliha will contribute, after completing its stages and developing its crops, to reduce the percentage of wheat imports from abroad.

The farm’s infrastructure has been completed, which includes irrigation lines equivalent to 13 linear meters and electrical works equal to 10,000 linear metres.

Earlier last November, the Ruler of Sharjah launched the first phase of the wheat farm in the Maliha, pointing out the importance of these projects in light of the changes the world is witnessing, which may affect the availability of grains in addition to providing many jobs and other services.