A GOVERNMENT company for food security is set to be launched in the first quarter of this year despite Covid-19, a minister has said.
Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf said, in a written response to a question by Bahrain Bloc president and MP Ahmed Al Salloom, that arrangements were ongoing with the Finance and National Economy Ministry, Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company and the Cabinet’s Ministerial Committee for Developmental and Infrastructure Projects.
The minister added that another national holding company for aquaculture would also be set up in Ras Hayyan, in co-ordination with the Finance and National Economy Ministry and the National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga).
“Both companies will help us increase agriculture productivity by 10 per cent, which would for 20pc of the total agriculture products available in the market, and an increase of 12pc in fisheries, contributing to 62pc of the total available fish in the country,” said Mr Khalaf.
“We have allocated five large locations specifically for agriculture purposes: Howrat A’ali (275,430sqm), Duraz (35,000sqm) and (29,700sqm), Sanad (29,000sqm), Ghena Area (302,595sqm) and Al Sayah (41,500sqm).
“For fisheries, we have five proposed sites that are 30 to 40 hectares in size, but await technical assessment to ensure it doesn’t trespass on private property with us already completing 70pc of the work in Ras Hayyan.”
He said the National Aquaculture Centre in Ras Hayyan is continuing its experimental and testing work on fish breeding to reach market sizes.
“We have also signed a partnership with the UAE on food security.
“We are also working with China and Kuwait on fisheries projects; with Covid-19 things have slowed down but will continue as we are expecting new fish farms especially for hammour.
“We have sold 170,000 finger fish worth BD25,500 in 2019 and 4,008 market-size fish worth BD8,239 in that year from our centre on a test basis.”
Mr Khalaf said incentives for farmers and fishermen were ongoing besides training on advanced technologies.
Mr Khalaf has also presented a written response to a question by MP Ammar Al Mukhtar on infrastructure projects in East and West Eker and another question by MP Zainab Abdulamir on infrastructure projects in Jidali and Al Nasfa.
He is set to comment further on all three questions during Tuesday’s session.
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