Mubarak attends event marking start of harvest season in Sharq AL Owainat
Egypt, Economics, 4/11/2001

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak today arrived in Shark Al Owainat, Al wadi Al jedid (new valley) governorate in the western desert where he will see for himself the start of the harvest season.

The President was welcomed upon arrival by top state officials including Youssef Wali, deputy Premier and Minister of Agriculture, who started to brief the President on the different agriculture ventures being carried out Many of the high yield produce of the area are meant for exportation.

He also explained to the President development at the Ostrich farm project being carried out by Canadian-Egyptian cooperation.

Wali said that 27,000 feddans have so far been reclaimed in this promising area.

He said that he is pleased with the President`s fourth visit to the area.

Cultivated areas in this promising area will be increased, he added.

There are about 300 wells in the area and about 350 others under construction, he said.

There are also a nursery that includes 26 greenhouses to produce requirements of the area of seedlings, he added.

There are a hospital, a police station, telephone lines and television transmission in the area, he said.

Negotiations are under way with the German side for setting up a power plant to be operated by solar energy, he added.

Wali, spoke of cooperation with Australia in the field of breeding livestock and praised Egypt's decision to prevent imports of meat from Europe.

Our decision came years ago and came second only to the US, he said.

Referring to the current Europen cattle diseases he said livestock vaccination process is going on in a regular and systematic way.

He talked of fattening calves and said these will be exported to the different Arab countries via the red sea port of Safaga.

An automatic slaughter house and meat processing unit will be set up in the area as well.

He added that expensive produce is being cultivated in order that it be exported.

Later Mubarak watched a documentary on the entire project.

President Mubarak listened during his tour in this promising area to a report from the head of the national service agency Nabil El-Darawi on the proceeding of work in the armed forces farm.

Darawi said 8450 Feddans have been reclaimed of which 7325 have already been cultivated and the rest will be sown with crops in the winter season in October and November.

The crops that will be grown there include wheat, clover, barley, soy beans, sunflower, onion, maize, vegetables in addition to trees such as mango, orange, lemon, guava, palms.

The plots of land allocated for the armed forces will have been cultivated by the end of December, said Darawi.

Darawi then projected a documentary illustrating the cultivated areas and the places which house buildings and storing complexes.

He noted that four agricultural villages have been built although two of which are still under construction.

Two sheep farms have also been set up, each having 1000 sheep completely free from all viral diseases including foot and mouth,added Darawi.

The new valley governor, Salmi Salim presented a copy of the Holy Qoran to President Mubarak who started a sight-seeing tour through the armed forces` farm to witness the harvesting of some of the highly-productive crops.

Previous Stories:
  LE 2300 million in next Budget for youth jobs in all governorates   (4/10/2001)
  European Investment Bank extends two soft loans to Egypt   (4/10/2001)
  Direct telephone contacts between Egypt, Sudan   (4/9/2001)

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