Algeria has finalized a substantial $3.5 billion deal with Baladna, Qatar’s premier dairy producer, aimed at establishing an expansive cattle-breeding farm dedicated to powdered milk production, a highly coveted commodity in the North African nation.
Envisaged to yield an impressive 200,000 tonnes of powdered milk annually, the initiative is poised to address 50 percent of Algeria’s domestic demand for this essential product, as per reports.
Spanning across 170,000 hectares in the Adrar province, the project encompasses a comprehensive infrastructure, including facilities for cultivating cattle feed, a livestock farm for milk and meat production, and a state-of-the-art powdered milk processing plant, as stated by the Algerian agriculture ministry.
The agreement was formally sealed in Algiers between Souad Assous, head of agricultural and land investments at the Algerian agriculture ministry, and Baladna chairman Mohamad Moutaz Al-Khayyat.
Algeria, home to nearly 45 million inhabitants, has grappled with recurring milk shortages in recent years, heavily relying on imported powdered milk and other food essentials.
In 2021 alone, Algeria’s powdered milk imports amounted to nearly $600 million, according to figures from the National Interprofessional Milk Office.
Expected to commence operations by 2026, the project is set to not only cater to local demand but also bolster the national cattle population, while generating approximately 5,000 direct employment opportunities, the statement highlighted.
