Dubai Food Park has signed a Dh1.35 billion agreement with Chinese investors to build the China-UAE Food Industrial cluster foreseen to enhance the emirate’s competitiveness as the region’s leading hub in the food sector
The 4.38-million-square foot China-UAE Food Industrial cluster will be home to 30 food plants, including two Chinese catering companies and two advanced manufacturing plants for food packaging materials, and is expected to be completed 24 months after construction has been started.
The project, which will be undertaken with Ningxia Forward Fund Management Company, will have six major components: meals processing, packaged food processing, cold chain storage, production of food packages, e-commerce and commodities exhibition and bio-safety disposal of waste water and wastes.
At least 75 percent of the total project area will be allocated for factories, 17 percent for warehouses while the rest will be allocated for offices and other facilities.
Abdullah Belhoul, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Wholesale City, in a statement said that the agreement comes at an “important time, given the urgent global need to enhance collaboration on food security by increasing the physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food.”
“The partnership marks a step forward in strengthening bilateral relations at various levels, particularly trade and economic relations between the UAE and China,” he said.
A Ningxia Forward Fund Management Company spokesperson, meanwhile said the agreement would help meet China’s objectives for the Belt and Road initiative and “create large-scale employment opportunities and trade benefits for the world’s nations.”