United Arab Emirates to establish Food Cluster in Andhra Pradesh
Amravati, July 22
UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at the State Secretariat.
According to the release, the UAE delegation held discussions with the Chief Minister on setting up the UAE Food Cluster in Andhra Pradesh.
During Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's Davos visit earlier this year, the UAE had expressed its willingness to establish the Food Cluster in the state.
The UAE has decided to develop a value chain for the food processing sector in Andhra Pradesh.
A partnership has been established between the Andhra Pradesh Government and the United Arab Emirates for the project.
The value chain will facilitate the export of horticultural produce, including mangoes, bananas, cocoa, and other products, to international markets.
The meeting was attended by the UAE delegation, Andhra Pradesh Minister TG Bharath, and senior officials from the Food Processing Department, Industries Department, and the Economic Development Board (EDB).
In month of January, Chandrababu Naidu visited Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's four-day tour to Davos, Switzerland, involved interacting with several global leaders and inviting investments in the state by showcasing its favourable business environment.
During his visit, CM Naidu met with top executives of 15 prominent global companies, showcasing Andhra Pradesh's favourable business environment and policies.
He invited them to invest in the state and explore opportunities in various sectors such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, technical textiles, and rail components, the CMO release stated.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) convened 56th Annual Meeting in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026, bringing together nearly 3,000 leaders from more than 130 countries at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty and rapid technological transformation.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good move by CM Naidu after Davos visit. But I hope the benefits actually reach small farmers, not just big corporates. We've seen many MoUs signed in the past that didn't translate to ground-level change. Need transparent tracking and local employment guarantees.
As someone working in the agri-tech space, this partnership makes a lot of sense. UAE has world-class cold chain logistics and global market access. Andhra's diverse horticulture output is a perfect match. Let's hope the implementation is swift and the cluster gets world-class infrastructure.
Finally some concrete outcomes from those expensive foreign trips! But why always fruits and vegetables? Why not focus on our seafood or spices too? Andhra has a 974 km coastline. Hope the value chain extends to marine products as well. Kashmiri mirchi and mango pickles could find huge markets in UAE.
This is the kind of bilateral partnership that creates real economic value. UAE's investment in food security is smart - they get reliable supply, India gets technology transfer and jobs. Win-win 👏 Hope the cluster also includes training centers for our youth in food processing skills.
Great initiative but what about water usage? Food processing needs huge amounts of water. In a water-stressed state like Andhra, we must ensure sustainable practices. Also hope there's a clear timeline - these clusters often take years to become operational. Need regular updates on progress.
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