[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross arrived in Qatar to discuss key initiatives between Qatar and the US. Secretary Wilbur Ross, along with the Minister of Commerce and Industry H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, also visited Baladna, the leading and largest dairy producer in Qatar.<\/p>\n
\u201cUS Secretary of Commerce @SecretaryRoss arrived in #Qatar today to discuss commercial and economic initiatives between the US and Qatar. He toured @Baladnaco to discuss how US businesses have contributed to dairy production in #Qatar #USAinQatar,\u201d William Grant, Chief of Mission, US Embassy in Qatar and Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires, tweeted last Saturday.<\/p>\n
Baladna, a Qatari public shareholding company under incorporation, recently announced that its subsidiary Baladna Food Industries (BFI), Qatar\u2019s best-loved and market-leading dairy and beverage brand, has made a significant investment in new, state-of-the-art facilities at its Umm Al-Hawaya dairy farm. The investment comes as Baladna announced an IPO to enable Qatari citizens and corporates to share in the company\u2019s rapid growth and expansion.<\/p>\n
Following the blockade in June 2017, BFI embarked on an extensive program of significant investment in infrastructure development, plant and machinery to increase production capacity and achieve self-sufficiency in its dairy and juice production.<\/p>\n
BFI\u2019s facilities at Umm Al-Hawaya now consists of two separate dairy farms, six milking areas, forty barns, three dairy and juice factories, a plastics factory, an animal feed processing facility, a water treatment facility, and a compost processing facility.<\/p>\n
The US Secretary of Commerce, who is here after a whirlwind Asia-Pacific tour, is expected to hold high-level discussions in Qatar.<\/p>\n
The past week witnessed a series of Qatar-US discussions, at several levels, that reinforced the relations between the two countries. US Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin concluded a two-day visit to Qatar on November 5. Secretary Mnuchin met with the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Prime Minister and Interior Minister, H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani; and Minister of Finance, H E Ali Shareef Al Emadi. Secretary Mnuchin also held separate meetings with H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation, Qatar Investment Authority CEO Mansour Ibrahim Al Mahmoud; Qatar Central Bank Governor H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Saoud Al Thani; and H E Attorney General Dr. Ali bin Fetais Al Marri.<\/p>\n
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