Al-Mamlaka, an agricultural development company owned by Saudi Prince Walid Bin Talal, has announced that it will grow fruit and vegetables but not wheat in Toshka.
Senior sources from the Agriculture Ministry have said that this decision could rouse the anger of state officials.
The French director for the project said the company has a new pumping station that should help irrigate approximately 3500 acres in the next few months. He attributed the slowdown in crop production to a lack of financial liquidity.
The director said there are no plans to grow wheat and that the company will continue to grow vegetables and fruits and package them for sale on international markets.
Al-Rajhi for International Investment, another Saudi company investing in Toshka, meanwhile, will start cultivating 17,000 acres exclusively with grains, such as wheat and barley, to satisfy local needs..
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
