Today, Wednesday, Yacine Oualid, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, received Moutaz Al-Khayyat, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Qatari Estithmar Holding Group, in the presence of the Qatari Ambassador to Algeria, Abdulaziz Ali Al-Naama, along with the Chairman of the Board of Baladna Algeria.
This meeting served as an important milestone to evaluate the progress of the Baladna milk production project in the province of Adrar. This integrated strategic project is being implemented on an area of 117,000 hectares, with a breeding capacity estimated at 270,000 head of cattle, making it one of the largest agricultural projects of its kind at the regional level and embodying an effective model for the Algerian-Qatari economic partnership.
The meeting allowed for an assessment of the pace of the first phase’s completion and the establishment of a clear roadmap for launching the upcoming phases, with a focus on increasing efficiency and accelerating implementation.
The meeting also addressed the challenges associated with this ambitious project, which will enable the country to cover up to 50% of its national milk powder needs, contributing to reducing the import bill and enhancing food security, in addition to supporting national red meat production.
In this context, the Minister emphasized the necessity of adopting the latest technologies in managing large farms, while giving special importance to the sustainable management of natural resources, particularly water and soil, to ensure the project’s long-term sustainability and efficiency.
At the conclusion of the meeting, it was agreed to organize a joint field visit to the project site as soon as possible to personally inspect the progress of the work and monitor its various stages.
