Salalah Free Zone (SFZ) has opened the Oman Dairy Products factory, a $70 million investment the first phase of which went operational by the third quarter of 2019, and signed a number of agreements for new projects on the free zone, a media report said.

The pacts included a land development agreement for the setting up of a urea products unit, another agreement to lay the foundation stone of a steel industries unit, a third agreement for the setting up of a bus assembly unit and a fourth agreement to set up a new water and beverages unit, reported state news agency Oman News.

The memoranda of understanding signed by Salalah Free Zone included one with Iran International Hospital and another with Stemz Health Care to set up a hospital at the free zone.

The ceremony was patronized by Darwish bin Ismaeel al-Balushi, Minister Responsible for Financial Affairs, and attended by Ahmed bin Nasser al-Mahrzi, Minister of Tourism and Board Chairman of SFZ.

Ali bin Mohammed Tabook, CEO of Salalah Free Zone, said that the free zone managed to localize 80 investment usufructs valued at RO3.2 billion ($8.3 billion) that will generate 7,800 direct jobs.  The FZ also leased 80 per cent of land plots ready for rent.

A sub-usufruct agreement was signed to produce urea, an investment project worth $285 million.  The unit is set up on an area of 150,000 sq m and it will have a production capacity of 570,000 tons and will generate 550 jobs.

The foundation stone of three direct foreign investment projects was laid down.  These were National Steel Industries unit, set up on an area of 86,000, metres which will produce 300,000 tons per annum.  Its products will enhance various industries, including fridges, power generators and steel roofs.  This $500 million investment will provide 500 direct jobs.

The foundation stone of a bus assembly unit was also laid down at the ceremony.  The factory, to be set up on an area of 50,000 sq m, will have an annual production capacity of 1,500 bus, 70 per cent of which will be exported to markets in the GCC, Africa and the league of independent countries.  It will provide 350 direct jobs.

The third foundation stone laid down today was that of a water and healthy beverages factory set up on an area of 21,000 metres.  The unit will have an annual production capacity of more than 4 million cartons, 90 per cent of which will be exported to GCC, African and East Asian markets.  The $13 million investment will provide 52 direct jobs.

A second memorandum of understanding was signed with Iran International Hotel, an affiliate of the Iranian Red Cross, for the setting up of a world-class hospital at Salalah Free Zone.

The third memorandum of understanding was signed with Stemz Healthcare, a pioneer of medical services, for the establishment of a medical examination centre to serve the visa section at SFZ.