UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, met with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to talk about setting up a food cluster in the state. The UAE delegation engaged in discussions with the Chief Minister and state officials at the State Secretariat. Plans are in place to create a value chain for exporting various horticultural products like mangoes, bananas, and cocoa to global markets.
An agreement to establish a food cluster was made at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year. During Chandrababu Naidu’s visit to Davos, the UAE expressed its intention to establish the food cluster in Andhra Pradesh. A partnership between the Andhra Pradesh government and the UAE has been forged to develop a value chain in the food processing sector in the state.
Industries Minister TG Bharat and officials from the Food Processing, Industries, and EDB departments were present at the meeting. Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri had a meeting with Chandrababu Naidu during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos in January. The UAE Dubai Food Cluster is set to collaborate with the Andhra Pradesh Food Processing sector. Additionally, the UAE minister pledged support for establishing about 40 institutions from the UAE in Andhra Pradesh.
Discussions also revolved around potential collaborations in food, multimodal logistics, energy, ports, and retail to enhance the economic partnership between Andhra Pradesh and the UAE. Plans for a multimodal logistics park by the Sharaf Group of the UAE in Andhra Pradesh were also on the agenda. Chandrababu Naidu expressed optimism about increased job opportunities and exports in Andhra Pradesh through a strategic partnership with the UAE.
