Watan-The Qatari News Agency “Qena” quoted “Muath Al-Khayyat,” Chairman of the Board of Directors of “Baladna” Food Industries Company in Qatar, as saying that the project to produce powdered milk in Algeria under the agreement signed with the Algerian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will be the largest in the world and the first of its kind in Algeria.

In his interview with “Qena,” Al-Khayyat said that this project represents the beginning of Qatari cooperation with sisterly countries and all entities concerned with food security, especially in vital food sectors such as dairy and its derivatives.

He pointed out that this comes after the successful experience in Qatar, where “Baladna” Company managed to reduce reliance on imported milk and its derivatives and achieve self-sufficiency in just 12 months.

At a cost of $3.5 billion

Costing $3.5 billion, the Chairman of Baladna’s Board of Directors revealed that this massive project, estimated at a $3.5 billion investment, aims to produce nearly 194,000 tons of powdered milk annually.

Spanning an area of 117,000 hectares, it includes 3 complexes, each containing a fodder farm, a cattle farm, and a powdered milk factory. The herd size will reach about 270,000 cows in the ninth year of the project, producing an estimated 1.7 billion liters of milk annually.

It is expected that this project will meet over 50% of Algeria’s milk needs and provide 5,000 job opportunities for Algerian nationals.

Al-Khayyat added that the project represents an integrated agricultural-industrial system for milk production, which will not only reduce Algeria’s reliance on milk imports but also contribute to reducing imports of all essential production needs such as fodder and other materials.

The project has been specially designed to suit the Algerian environment in terms of climate, soil nature, and other factors, using the latest global technologies in agriculture, irrigation, cattle breeding, milking, and manufacturing.

The project will be completed in stages

The project will be completed in stages, starting with the cultivation of farms to provide grain and fodder, followed by the design of a farm for fifty thousand head of cattle. Additionally, the project will include facilities with global standards, advanced production lines, and techniques for powdered milk production.

Al-Khayyat emphasized that the primary goal of the project is to reduce Algeria’s reliance on powdered milk imports and achieve self-sufficiency. He expects this success to lead to attracting more foreign direct investments to Algeria and to position it as a supportive environment for investment and incubator for major projects.

Qatari investment diversification aligns with the state’s economic goals of diversification and not relying solely on oil income. The principle of exporting expertise aligns with Qatar’s leading regional role in all fields. Finally, implementing the Qatari experience in a different environment will enrich and enhance it with the necessary data and information for further development and innovation. Al-Khayyat concluded by praising the support from the Algerian government and the spirit of cooperation, which will enable the achievement of more common goals and projects.