Madayn pulls US$706.8M into food projects as Oman pushes local supply

OMAN – Madayn, the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates, has attracted more than RO 272 million which equals about US$706.8 million into food sector projects in Oman.

The investment highlights the growing role of food manufacturing in Oman’s industrial plans and its wider food security goals. Food processing and related activities now form a major share of activity across Madayn’s industrial cities.

Khalid al Salehi, Director General of Marketing and Commercial Affairs at Madayn, said the authority’s industrial cities currently host 121 food related projects. He said investors launched 28 new food projects in 2025 alone, a sign of steady interest in the sector and its role in local supply. “Food manufacturing now plays a key role in strengthening food availability and supporting industrial growth,” he said.

Linking factories and farms

Al Salehi said Madayn is also working to bring industry closer to agriculture. He pointed to the Madayn Agriculture initiative, which Madayn runs with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources.

The programme introduces greenhouse projects inside selected industrial cities to raise local output and support exports. “By placing agricultural production near processing sites, we reduce gaps in the supply chain and support food availability,” al Salehi said.

This approach aligns with broader national efforts to grow more food at home and reduce reliance on imports, especially for fresh and processed products.

Cutting waste across the supply chain

Discussions also focused on reducing food loss, especially at retail and distribution level. Lamya al Habsi, Marketing Director at ZabonEx, said data shows that waste remains a major issue.

“Research shows that close to 40 percent of food products are lost at retail and distribution stages,” she said, citing FAO data. She explained that ZabonEx uses artificial intelligence to study inventory and sales data so businesses can better match supply with demand. “This helps firms reduce losses, manage stock, and improve daily operations,” al Habsi said.

The event also featured a panel moderated by Dr Ayman al Fudhaili, CEO of the Industrial Innovation Academy. Panelists included Ahmed al Ghafri of Mazoon Dairy, Ayman al Hasani of Al Khamayil, Zain Akhtar of NielsenIQ, and Ron van den Dungen of BRS Green. Speakers stressed the need for close coordination between policymakers and food companies.

These industrial developments come as Oman also invests directly in farming methods. In December 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources launched Smart Vegetable Farms, a national indoor farming project focused on leafy vegetables.

The project uses vertical farming systems inside controlled spaces to allow steady production throughout the year. Waleed Salim al Abri from the ministry said the system supports clean production with lower water use. “Indoor farming gives farmers stable output across all seasons while using much less water,” he said.

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