Muscat: Omani bio products company and Khazaen Economic City on Wednesday signed an agreement to establish a factory to produce animal and aquatic fodder on an area of 45,000 square metres.
The signing event was held under the auspices of Dr Saud Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources. Dr. Saud said that the two agreements signed are important for the Sultanate of Oman. The first project is related to the production of animal feed, and will cover the needs of animal herders, while the surplus will be exported. This project is also considered a vital addition to aquatic fodder projects. The second project will make available medicine to cover the needs of the livestock sector.
More projects in the agriculture and livestock sectors will be launched by the Food Security Lab in the first quarter of 2022, affirmed the minister. The move comes as part of the Omani bio products company’s efforts in achieving the goals of Oman Vision 2040 by utilising concepts of circular and dynamic economy, as well as benefiting from a range of raw materials available in the local environment. The raw materials will be used to produce a group of animal and aquatic fodder in an economic, sustainable and eco-friendly manner.
The agreement was signed by Salim Suleiman al Thuhli, CEO of Khazaen, and Haitham Mohammed al Fannah, CEO of Oman Flour Mills and member of the foundational committee of the Omani bio products company. Al Thuhli affirmed that implementing strategic projects in Khazaen aims to attract more local and international investments.
The two projects embody the confidence of the investors on the economic city and its accelerating speed of development, in addition to its strategic location, features and incentives offered to investors.
Ali Said al Araimi, CEO of Nakheel Oman Development Company, member of the foundational committee of the Omani bio products company said that the first phase the company aims to produce 48,000 tonnes of animal fodder by transforming 40,000 tonnes a year of agricultural residues to nutritionally augmented recipes of livestock fodder.
The product will be an cheaper substitute to grass. The company targets to be among the largest producers of livestock fodder, with a capacity of 300,000 tonnes a year to reach self-sufficiency, Al Araimi added. He pointed out that production in the factory is expected to begin in 2024, whereas the company will launch several of its products in markets in the first quarter of 2022. Meanwhile, the gulf agricultural and veterinary company signed an agreement with Khazaen Economic City to establish a factory that produces veterinary medicine and animal nutrients. The project, worth RO 3 million, is expected to create many job opportunities as the first phase will be completed in the first quarter of 2023. — Ends/AG/AH
