Abdullatif Al Banna, 56, a real estate magnate by day, spends many evenings tending to the thousands of pineapples he grows in his greenhouses in Dubai's Al Aweer desert.
Abdullatif Al Banna, which grows hydroponically using soilless and water-based nutrient solutions, harvests more than 4.000 pineapples from 4 greenhouses in May.
Abdullatif Al Banna, who says he established his farm in 2005, uses the words "the sweetest pineapples I have ever eaten in my life" for his pineapples.
Ten years ago, Abdullatif Al Banna decided to experiment with pineapples and find a way to make them thrive in the harsh UAE desert climate.
Abdullatif Al Banna, who preferred to distribute what he produced in those years to his relatives and friends instead of selling them, is now enjoying the fruits of their efforts for years.
Abdullatif Al Banna, who brought 300 pineapple plants to see in which environment pineapples grow better in the first place, started to grow some of them in the open field, some in the greenhouse and some in the shade of trees; the best yield and success was achieved in those grown in greenhouses.
Born in Deira in 1966, he says his interest in farming came from his father.
“My father has been teaching us since we were little. We had a farm in Jumeirah; where the Burj Al Arab is now. We grew dates in front of that area in the 1970s. My father would take us there and give us information about farming. We also used to go to Ras Al Khaimah for picnic and farming. They were beautiful days,” says Abdullatif Al Banna.
Al Banna adds that in 1999 his father encouraged him to go to Egypt and start farming.
Al Banna and his family now live next to the existing farm land, spending part of the day at the real estate company in Dubai's Business Bay and evenings at the farm. Al Banna grows pineapples here, as well as enough wheat for his family in the colder months.
Related Products
In addition to these, Al Banna's; He has another farm in Ras Al Khaimah with 40 greenhouses where he grows tomatoes, green leafy vegetables and peppers.
It is not easy to grow pineapples in the extreme climate of the UAE, says Al Banna. By producing hydroponically in their slightly humid and cool greenhouses at 30°C, 29°C or 28°C, they save 90% of water.
Pineapples grown in perlite in greenhouses measuring 8 meters by 34 meters are irrigated with automatic irrigation systems and fans are operated 24 hours a day throughout the year.
When the fruit is ripe, shoots are usually found between the spiny leaves. These are individually removed and planted so that more pineapples are grown next year.
The government supports some of the costs of the greenhouses where we agricultural engineers and assistants work, and also sends technicians and engineers when necessary.
Pineapples are large and juicy, weighing between three and five kilograms. However, Al Banna prefers not to sell them.
“We are delighted to gift these pineapples to our family, friends and siblings. The fact that few people manage to grow them in the desert makes this fruit valuable to us. Therefore, it is valuable to our people," he said.
“But if someone wants to buy them, I won't refuse. In the past, I have sold hundreds of plants to nurseries and others. They paid about $13.6 per plant.”
Al Banna hopes his farm will inspire people to think about food security.
“Every local area should know a little about growing food for itself in case of future adversity,” says Al Banna.
Believing that his farm can serve as a prototype for pineapple cultivation in the country, Al Banna believes that there is a good opportunity for turnkey projects to grow pineapples in every home, by building a greenhouse in each residence, planting them and maintaining them throughout the year.