Major General Amr Abdel Wahab, Chairman and Managing Director of the New Egyptian Countryside Development Company, signed an agreement with Green Lab for Agricultural Reclamation to allocate 10,844 acres in the Old Farafra region. The deal will facilitate a large-scale project to grow Medjool date palms and build a comprehensive factory for processing Egyptian Medjool dates.
Representing Green Lab, the contract was signed by Engineer
Ayman El Sayed, the company's CEO and Managing Director, in the presence of
Engineer Yasser Farouk Moustafa, Chairman of Green Lab, Engineer Ahmed Fayek El
Qasrawy, Managing Director, and Dr. Venice Fayyad, Advisor to the Chairman of
the New Egyptian Countryside Development Company and Head of Business
Development and Customer Service.
Abdel Wahab emphasized that the land allocation reflects the
government's commitment to developing desert areas and empowering the private
sector to utilize modern agricultural technology for sustainable development.
He added that the project aligns with the national vision of achieving food
security by transforming desert land into agricultural and industrial zones.
"We are happy to establish a massive agricultural and
industrial project for the production and processing of Medjool dates in the
New Egyptian Countryside," Abdel Wahab said. He noted that the project
will significantly increase Egypt's date production, as dates are a key
strategic crop. He added that using modern and smart farming techniques will
help conserve water and provide skilled jobs in the "New Republic."
Abdel Wahab lauded the private sector as an essential
partner in driving development. He stated the project "lays the foundation
for a promising integrated agricultural and industrial project" that will
boost domestic production and enhance the value of Egyptian dates in international
markets. He pointed out that the lands of farmers in the New Egyptian
Countryside, part of the 1.5 million-acre project, have already become a major
hub for date exports.
He explained that projects in the New Egyptian Countryside
play a crucial role in bolstering food security and improving the
competitiveness of Egyptian products globally. He also highlighted that the new
project will create job opportunities for young people and enhance agricultural
supply chains by leveraging modern farming technologies, aligning with the
state's drive for sustainable development and self-sufficiency in agricultural
production.
Engineer Ayman El Sayed of Green Lab expressed pride in the
strategic partnership, praising the national project's role in promoting
sustainable agriculture.
"Our project today is not just an agricultural venture;
it is an investment in the future," El Sayed said. He noted the project
aims to achieve sustainable growth in the date industry under the "New
Egyptian Countryside" umbrella, through research and development, and
increasing the export capacity of date factories. He stated that the
partnership with the New Egyptian Countryside Development Company reaffirms
their commitment to supporting innovative agricultural investment that adds
value to the national economy and creates sustainable jobs.
El Sayed stressed that the project aims to position Egypt as
a global leader in date production and create hundreds of jobs in the newly
developed desert areas.
The project includes establishing a state-of-the-art factory for processing and packaging, which will ensure high-quality products for both local and international markets. It will focus on creating diverse employment opportunities, implementing smart farming techniques for environmental preservation and resource efficiency, and enhancing the value chain of palm-related industries, further cementing Egypt's place on the global date production map.