Sohar: In a major step towards food security, Oman’s first sugar refinery has received over 90,000 metric tonnes of raw sugar.
This delivery marks the beginning of a new chapter in the Sultanate’s food manufacturing industry. The facility is expected to create job and training opportunities for local workers and new graduates, strengthen the domestic supply chain, and help build key industrial skills.
Nasser bin Ali Al Hosni, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the refinery, said the facility is the first of its kind in the Middle East. Spread over 180,000 square metres at Sohar Industrial Port, the refinery is equipped with advanced machinery and has an annual production capacity of up to one million tonnes of high-quality white sugar.
He noted that the shipment from Brazil is currently being unloaded directly into the refinery’s storage units using modern mobile cranes and fast-loading systems. The facility can store more than 500,000 metric tonnes of raw sugar and 70,000 metric tonnes of refined sugar, reported The Times of Oman.
Al Hosni added that after construction was completed, the refinery was successfully connected to gas supplies from the OQ Group, enabling operations to begin. This milestone marks a key moment in the trial run of the plant.
He explained that sugar smelting operations are scheduled to begin this August, in preparation for the launch of commercial white sugar production next September.
He said the arrival of the first shipment highlights the country’s push toward self-sufficiency, making use of modern technology and sustainable resources to strengthen Oman’s food security efforts.
