Madar (Algiers) - The Baladna El Djazair cattle and milk-powder project in Adrar, southern Algeria, expects about 35,000 cows imported from the United States to arrive by plane at Adrar airport from November 25, 2026, project officials said during a visit by Agriculture Minister Sid Ali Khaldi, the daily Ennahar reported on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
The first shipment will rest for 36 hours before entering the barn on November 27, with the barn due to be ready on November 15, the officials said. The minister inspected a sanitary rest facility prepared for the imported cattle at Adrar airport.
According to the news site TSA, works were 80% complete at the time of the minister's visit on Monday, October 19. Raw milk production is due to start at the end of 2027 and milk powder in early 2028.
Backed by a USD 3.5 billion Algerian-Qatari investment, the project combines large-scale fodder farming, a herd of 240,000 cows and a plant producing 193,000 tonnes of milk powder a year, aiming eventually to cover 50% of national needs. It covers 219,000 hectares and is expected to create 20,000 jobs, the site said.
So far 102 work packages have been awarded, 69% of them to Algerian companies, and the site employs 1,360 workers. Khaldi said the aim was to make southern Algeria "a hub of excellence for agricultural investment".
