Meeting on Oman's new dairy project in Dhofar held

Energy Sunday 29/January/2017 22:23 PM
By: Times News Service
Meeting on Oman's new dairy project in Dhofar held

Muscat: A meeting on a new dairy collection and processing project Dhofar was held yesterday.
Al Morouj Dairy Company (under formation) held its general assembly meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The meeting reviewed the topics on its agenda, including the study of the founding committee report on actions taken to establish the company, study and approval of expenses for establishing the company, the election of the members of the first board of directors of the company and the appointment of the auditor for the first financial year and his fees.
Dr. Fuad bin Jaafar Al Sagwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, said that the project has social, economic, environmental dimensions, and in relation to food security and job creation, expressing his hope that this project to achieve its planned objectives.
The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries confirmed in his speech, the importance of this national project, which will serve the livestock sector in the Governorate of Dhofar, in particular and that it is interested in the collection and processing of camel and cow’s milk and thus will contribute to fill some of the needs of the country and providing sources of income for breeders.
Dr. Rashid bin Salim al- Masrori, chairman of the founding committee of the project said that the first founding committee , which was formed by a ministerial decision by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, stressed the importance of setting up a pilot project in the first stage to be followed by the integrated stage, as recommended by the economic and technical feasibility study carried out by the Oman National Livestock Development
Company and that great efforts were made over the past period in order to complete its work on time.
Dr. Ahmed bin Nasser Al Bakri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for Agriculture said that the project is part of the advanced and leading development projects adopted by the Ministry’s policies in order to promote sustainable development in the field of animal production and food resources in the Sultanate.
Mohammed bin Obaid al- Mazroui, Chairman of the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development, said that the authority is involved in this project because it is convinced in its importance in terms of the development of the livestock sector and the advancement of livestock breeders in the Governorate of Dhofar, adding that the authority contributes to many investment projects in the Sultanate in cooperation with the Oman Food Investment Holding Company (OFIC) and that it hopes that this project will achieve the desired objectives.
Eng. Saleh bin Mohammed Al Shanfari, CEO of OFIC said that the company and as part of its approved strategy is implementing a number of important projects which aim to raise the self-sufficiency ratio of some food commodities and thus fostering food security for the Sultanate and availing job opportunities for Omani youths.
He added that Al Morouj Diary Company has certain characteristics as it has a social and development dimension as it is concerned with small-scale livestock breeders in the Governorate of Dhofar and aims to improve the social and economic conditions by finding a source of income for them, in addition to livestock development in the government, the development of the dairy industry and contribution to the support of small and medium enterprises by encouraging young people to set up projects.