A major grain storage and handling terminal is to be established at the Middle Eastern port of Sohar by Atyab Investment, which is part of the public joint stock company Oman Flour Mills. The hope is that this new project will act as a stimulus for the creation of an agricultural cluster at the port and Freezone.
The terminal will be equipped with a silo complex, a flour mill and bulk grain handling facilities, which could eventually serve as a harbour for trading in grain commodities. It will occupy part of the relocated container terminal.
Up to 200,000 tonnes of grain will be able to be stored at the port in the first phase development, which could be increased to 300,000 tonnes as part of a second phase. Funding will be made available by the government.
The terminal will also handle bulk raw materials needed by the new sugar refinery that is under development in the adjacent grain terminal.Around $200 million is being invested by Oman Sugar Refinery Company at the port. This will have an annual capacity of 700,000 tonnes per annum, expandable to 1,000,000 tonnes within three years.
Atyab is also to build a flour mill at the port able to produce up to 500 tonnes per day.
BC