UAE Plans Food Cluster in Andhra Pradesh; CM Chandrababu Naidu Holds Talks with UAE Minister

Amaravati: In a significant boost to Andhra Pradesh's food processing and agricultural export ambitions, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed its readiness to establish a Food Cluster in the state.

The proposal was discussed during a meeting between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri at the State Secretariat in Amaravati.

The discussions focused on developing a comprehensive food processing ecosystem and creating a value chain that will help Andhra Pradesh's agricultural and horticultural produce reach global markets.

The initiative follows discussions held during the Chief Minister's visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year, where the UAE had expressed interest in investing in a food cluster in Andhra Pradesh.

As part of the proposed collaboration, the Andhra Pradesh Government and the UAE will work together to establish value-added processing and export infrastructure for key horticultural products such as mangoes, bananas, cocoa, and other produce.

The partnership aims to strengthen food processing, reduce post-harvest losses, improve export competitiveness, and provide farmers with better market access while attracting international investments into the state's agri-food sector.

The meeting was attended by Minister TG Bharat, senior officials from the Food Processing Department, Industries Department, Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (EDB), and members of the UAE delegation.

Officials believe the proposed Food Cluster will position Andhra Pradesh as a leading destination for food processing, agri-value addition, and export-oriented investments.