Oman’s first pharmaceutical plant, specializing in the production of medicines for the country’s burgeoning livestock and farming industry, is set to commence operations at Al Buraimi Industrial City in the northwest of the country.
Al Pharabi Company for Veterinary Medicines Agricultural Co LLC, a subsidiary of publicly-traded Al Batinah Development & Investment Holding Co SAOG, will begin producing commercial quantities of key veterinary pharmaceutical and dietary formulations – a milestone that will help strengthen Oman’s biosecurity objectives.
The formal start of commercial production follows approvals granted by the Directorate-General of Animal Wealth (part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Wealth), effectively green-lighting the launch of the project, according to Al Batinah Development & Investment Holding Co SAOG, which owns a 20% stake in the venture.
Significantly, with the availability of indigenously produced livestock medicines, Oman’s longstanding dependence on imports is set to be eased. The project is backed by Syrian-based Al Pharabi Company for Veterinary and Agricultural Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, a leading player in the Arab region, which owns more than 350 medical preparations registered under its trade name ‘Al-Pharabi’.
Set on a roughly 10,000 sq metre site in Al Buraimi, the plant features three production lines in its first phase, designed for capsule, liquid, and powder production. Plant capacity is proposed to be ramped up to include a total of six production lines for the formulation of a range of products, such injections, liquids and sterilisers, powder formulations, capsules, ointments, vitamins and feed additives.
The Oman plant also aims to leverage the reach of its parent Syrian company to market its products across the Arab and African regions, in addition to catering to the domestic and Gulf markets.
Oman Daily Observer
