The Abu Dhabi Vegetable Oil Co's (Advoc's) shipment of 1,000 tonnes of vegetable oil to Iraq under a contract from the UN World Food Programme left for the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr yesterday from Mina Zayed.

The Abu Dhabi-based private joint stock company secured a $7.5 million contract from the UN World Food Programme to supply 9,000 tonnes of vegetable oil to Iraq.

"This is our second shipment. Our first shipment of 1,000 tonnes was made last month. The contract will be executed within three months," Colin Smith, general manager, said.

"Advoc has exported its oil to Iraq in the past but these shipments are the first since the Iraq war," he said, adding exports will continue to Iraq but it depends largely on the new government to be formed.

Set up some five years ago as a private joint stock company by well-known individuals including sheikhs, Advoc has an annual production capacity of around 60,000 to 80,000 tonnes per year of vegetable oil.

Some 10-15 per cent of its production goes into the domestic market while the bulk of it is exported to regional markets.

"Our main export markets are the GCC and some Middle East markets."

The vessel 'Chalak' owned by IMS Shipping will set sail today from Mina Zayed to Umm Qasr carrying the shipment.