RO 36 million livestock & fish feed factory opens

BARKA, DEC 4

The largest animal and aquatic feed factory in Oman was inaugurated on Thursday under the auspices of Dr Saud bin Hamoud al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources.

Operated by Oman Bio-Products, a subsidiary of Oman Flour Mills, the RO 36 million project is located in Khazaen Economic Zone and uses recycled green agriculture to produce animal and aqua feed. The current first phase of the project is expected to deliver 48,000 tonnes of animal feed and 15,000 tonnes of aquatic feed per year.

In a statement, Haitham bin Shakhbout al Saadi, Chairman of Oman Bio-Products Company, underscored the significance of the project. “The factory constitutes an important addition to the food security ecosystem in the Sultanate of Oman and a continuation of the development path pursued by Oman Flour Mills Group. What distinguishes this factory is that it is not merely a production facility, but a strategic project with unique features that embody the national direction towards enhancing food security and adopting the circular economy. It is one of the first projects of its kind in the region that aims to recycle agricultural and biological by-products and date residues and convert them into specialised, value-added products.” Al Saadi further added: “This project represents an important step towards enhancing self-sufficiency in the animal and aquatic feed sectors, reducing dependence on imports, and supporting farmers and livestock and fisheries producers with high-quality and competitive local products — contributing to market stability and strengthening national food security.” Speaking to the Observer, Abdullah bin Said al Muzaini, Operations Manager, explained that the factory relies on several local landfills to supply green agricultural waste.

“What makes this factory special is the technology we use. We take green waste and convert it into high-quality animal feed after proper treatment to ensure the material is free from impurities,” he said.

“We have agreements with Barka Landfill and other sites. They collect, segregate, and shred the green waste, and then we transport it here for processing.” Al Muzaini also highlighted the project’s economic significance. “The factory supports Oman’s economy by creating new job opportunities. More than 90% of our workforce are Omanis, and we’ve trained them to operate the plant at full capacity with all the required qualifications.” All three phases are slated for completion over the 2027 – 2030 timeframe, he added.