Rising demand for Emirati grape varieties has helped transform a family-run nursery, with seasonal production growing from just a few hundred seedlings to more than 10,000 plants each year.
As the grape harvest season begins in Ras Al Khaimah’s mountainous Asimah region, a local farmer says interest in Emirati grape varieties has grown dramatically over the years. His family-run nursery now produces more than 10,000 local grape seedlings each season, compared with only a few hundred in the past, to meet rising demand from growers seeking traditional varieties.
Marwan Saif Rashid Al Mazrouei, a farmer from Asimah — a scenic mountain and agricultural area in southern Ras Al Khaimah, around 90 kilometres from Ras Al Khaimah city — said this year’s grape harvest started in May and continued through June, with the timing of the season largely influenced by temperature conditions.
“Higher temperatures speed up the ripening process, while cooler conditions allow the harvest period to stretch across both May and June,” he said.
Al Mazrouei said producing high-quality grapes requires consistent care throughout the growing season, including regular pruning, fertilisation and pest control. The grapevines undergo heavy pruning in February before producing fruit from May onwards.
He added that Asimah is recognised for growing authentic Emirati grape varieties, with both red and green grapes cultivated in the region. Some of the farm’s original mother vines are more than 25 years old, preserving the area’s traditional grape-growing heritage.
Alongside traditional Emirati grape varieties, Al Mazrouei has also started cultivating international varieties, though production remains limited as the newer vines are still maturing.
He said demand for locally grown grape seedlings has increased significantly in recent years.
“Previously, interest was limited, and we produced around 500 seedlings annually,” he said. “Today, we produce more than 10,000 grape seedlings every season, but demand continues to exceed our supply.”
Al Mazrouei added that each mature grapevine on the farm — of which there are around 30 to 40 — produces approximately 30 kilograms of grapes, although yearly yields can vary depending on weather and growing conditions.
While the grapes are not sold commercially, Al Mazrouei specialises in producing grape seedlings — a skill he learned from his father — and has expanded the nursery’s operations to meet growing demand.
He explained that the local red grape variety produces smaller fruit but develops more quickly after planting, while the local green variety produces larger grapes but requires more time for its seedlings to become established.
The nursery supplies local red and green grape seedlings in different sizes, with fresh stock becoming available at the beginning of the planting season in September and October.
