Algeria dairy project faces uncertainty amid cattle import ban

The Baladna dairy project in Algeria, a $3.5 billion joint venture between the Qatari-based company and the Algerian government, faces potential disruption following reports that the Algerian market for cattle imports has been temporarily closed.

The project aims to establish one of the world’s largest integrated dairy farms and milk powder production facilities, intended to supply up to 50% of Algeria's powdered milk demand. A significant component of the second phase involved a massive livestock airlift, with plans to transport over 30,000 Holstein cows from nine US states to Algeria via 109 flights.

While the construction of the production facility is reportedly underway, the import ban threatens the scheduled arrival of livestock, which was intended to begin in late 2026 to facilitate herd development. The project is expected to generate 15,000 local jobs in Algeria and approximately 1,200 jobs in the United States through procurement and logistics.