The project of the infant formula production plant in Hama, pending the allocation of the land required for its completion

Hama-sana

The project to establish a factory for the production of baby milk powder and baby food powders in Hama is one of the most important qualitative investment projects at the local level, being the first of its kind in Syria and relying on it to contribute to covering the needs of the local market that is imported in foreign currency.

The project, which has an annual production capacity when put into service, is 46 million packs of powdered infant formula and 16 million packs of various food powders, including wheat flour, rice, corn and barley, to meet the various nutritional needs of children, according to the project owner Hussam Al-Sarraj, who indicated in a statement to SANA's correspondent that the project in which the foundation work started The concrete works in the industrial zone in Hama stopped work in it a few days ago, pending obtaining the allocation of the Hama City Council, the project in an adjacent division to accommodate the plant and the resumption of work in its completion.

Al-Sarraj pointed out that the establishment of the factory came as a result of the joint and great efforts made by the General Authority for Investment and the Ministries of Economy and Foreign Trade, the Local Administration and the Environment, and that the blockade imposed on Syria was to be broken by producing locally dried infant formula and getting rid of the great difficulties and high costs involved in importing it at the present time.

The head of Hama City Council, Engineer Adnan Tayar stated that the council granted the first division to the owner of the plant to establish a factory for the production of baby food upon his request before the project owner decided to switch the license to the manufacture of infant formula milk. Therefore, the second division was not granted because Law 66 prohibits the council from granting two parts Of the industry itself.

The head of the city council confirmed that a legal exit will soon be found, in coordination with the industrial zone and the Investment Authority, allowing the second division to be allocated to the owner of the facility, in light of the approval of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers on this, given that the plant is the first of its kind in Syria and the state of its completion and operation represents a sole local source of production For infant formula to encourage national industries.

The owner of the project expressed his hope that the supporting bodies, especially the city council of Hama, would continue to provide all the facilities and support necessary to expedite the allocation of the second plot of land required by the plant project and to resume construction work to complete the plant, stressing that starting the production process in the factory is a necessity for most families in securing infant formula Their food is at lower prices and costs than its imported counterparts.

The project owner stated that the initial cost of establishing the factory is more than 1.650 billion Syrian pounds, and it will secure 160 job opportunities, not to mention saving huge sums on the state treasury, pointing out that the factory will depend on fresh milk produced locally, especially in the Al-Ghab area.

Engineer Jihad Hamdoun, the supervisor of the construction works of the plant project, explained to the Agency that the plant is designed according to the latest advanced technology, relying on the principle of nitrogen and it is environmentally friendly and its products are sterile and 100 percent safe and is expected to meet the entire Syrian need for milk powder for children in addition to the production of powdered milk for adults and food Children subsidized with wheat, barley, rice and corn, with the surplus being exported, which contributes to saving foreign exchange and supporting the national economy.

Director of the General Investment Authority branch in Hama Amer Fanar explained that the project is vital and strategic par excellence, and it is the first of its kind, not only at the level of Syria, but also at the level of the region, pointing out that the project is an ideal and successful model for integration and cooperation between the public and private sectors and has a number of opportunities and elements of its success. In the forefront of which is the availability of raw materials necessary for large-scale production, whether fresh milk, which the countryside of Hama governorate is famous for its abundant production, or wheat, corn, barley and other grains, in addition to the availability of labor, of which the project is expected to employ dozens of them.

Abdullah Sheikh - Issa Hammoud