Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi’s industrial cluster Kizad expects to get in more food companies once it completes an ongoing expansion later this year.
At the same time, it will keep offering rebates and incentives to pull in clients as Abu Dhabi assigns top priority to shoring up its food security needs.
“All of the raw material for production or machinery is exempted from duties within Kizad,” said Mansoor Al Marar, head of Kizad’s food cluster. “There is also a seamless inspection and clearance process [as] we have good coordination with Abu Dhabi Customs and Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority.”
The food cluster in Area A within Kizad stretches over 2.5 million square metres. “We provide competitive power and water tariffs with long-term visibility and that’s very important for manufacturing facilities,” Al Marar said. “They understand what they expect today and what is anticipated in 10-, 20- and 30 years down the road.”
Heavy backing
As for Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), it is focussing on agritech companies.
“In the financial incentives, we have rebate programmes where we are able to do on a pay-and-reclaim basis, and cover percentages of key costs that businesses have,” said Salvatore Lavallo, AgTech sector lead at ADIO
“We are also able to look at cost competiveness rebates - that would be covering things like utilities, land or any other areas and push the impact on a business plan,” he added.
Key non-financial incentives have more to do with the regulatory side of things and ensuring they don’t infringe on a company’s work. “We also look at potential exemptions to government fees or government requirements that we might be able to give to a company, to be able to unlock their success here in Abu Dhabi,” he added.
