Strategic UAE‑Andhra Pact Aims to Boost Exports and Jobs via New Food Cluster

Amaravati – A strategic economic pact was reinforced on Tuesday when UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdullah bin Taouk Al Marri sat down with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. The central agenda was the creation of a dedicated food cluster that will process and export the state’s premium mangoes, bananas and cocoa beans.

The meeting, attended by senior officials from the Industries, Food Processing, and Development departments, confirmed that the value‑chain model discussed at the Davos World Economic Forum will now move to the implementation stage. The envisioned cluster will feature modern processing plants, cold storage, quality‑control labs, and logistics hubs that link directly to UAE ports.

In addition, the UAE pledged to assist in establishing roughly 40 institutional partners in Andhra Pradesh, ranging from technical training institutes to research facilities. The broader dialogue covered potential collaborations in multimodal logistics parks, energy supply, port upgrades, and retail networks, all geared toward creating a resilient supply chain.

Both governments anticipate that the initiative will unlock thousands of jobs, enhance export volumes, and cement a long‑term partnership that benefits farmers, manufacturers, and the broader economy of Andhra Pradesh.