UAE’s Al Dahra to exit grain trading, plans pivot to farming

Bloomberg | 20 January 2026

By Pyotr Kozlov

Abu Dhabi-based agribusiness group Al Dahra Holding plans to exit third-party grains and oilseeds trading, pivoting instead to focus on its farming operations spread across Europe, Africa and the US.

After a comprehensive assessment, the company will focus on marketing its own production, Al Dahra said in a statement in response to questions. The move follows its decision to exit its Romanian business after three consecutive years of losses, which Bloomberg reported earlier.

The company — backed by Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ — farms about 250,000 acres globally. It will focus on farming and the sale of commodities it produces, its press office said via email.

The switch underscores the changing dynamics of an increasingly crowded and competitive Black Sea market — where Al Dahra’s trading activities were concentrated. After a sharp surge in Ukrainian grain flows via Romania following the 2022 invasion, trading volumes have since declined, leaving a large number of international traders competing for smaller volumes.

Al Dahra launched its Black Sea trading office in 2020 and was one of the top grains traders operating out of the Romanian port of Constanta. International merchants were drawn to Romania after Russia’s war in Ukraine rerouted trade flows in the region, with Constanta becoming a key transit hub.

“The transition is being managed in full compliance with the relevant legislation to ensure transparency, compliance, alignment and continuity of all related services,” the company said in its statement. “These actions are part of our ongoing transformation and long-term global growth strategy.”

The UAE, like many of its peers in the Middle East, is seeking greater food self-sufficiency to protect against global supply-chain disruptions. Abu Dhabi is seeking billions of dollars in agrifood investments. It plans to offer subsidies to domestic and foreign firms as it aims to become net exporter in the future.