Saudi PIF to Set Up Sawani Camel Dairy Company

Sawani contributes to the development of the local production system to reach sustainability (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Sawani contributes to the development of the local production system to reach sustainability (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi PIF to Set Up Sawani Camel Dairy Company

Sawani contributes to the development of the local production system to reach sustainability (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Sawani contributes to the development of the local production system to reach sustainability (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) has set up the Sawani Company to enable the growth of the Saudi camel farming industry and actively contribute to its sustainable development.

Sawani aims to be a leading producer of camel dairy products, supporting Saudi Arabia's wider Food and Agriculture sector and helping to diversify the Saudi economy, in line with Vision 2030.

The company will work in partnership with the private sector to boost the production capacity of the camel dairy industry and seek to elevate the standards of the domestic production ecosystem by modernizing operations, improving the localization of knowledge, and investing in the sector's latest technologies.

PIF has invested strategically in the Food and Agriculture sector to help diversify the Saudi economy and support its unique produce industries.

Among these investments are its creation of the Saudi Coffee Company, which promotes Saudi Khulani coffee beans, and the Halal Products Development Company, which invests in the halal products sector.

Since 2017, PIF has established 84 companies in 13 strategic sectors.

Sawani will place sustainability at the center of all production, distribution, and marketing stages and raise awareness of camel dairy products' health benefits among consumers.

It will also showcase the unique history and cultural heritage of camel husbandry within Saudi Arabia.

Camel milk is commonly known for its nutritional benefits, including high amounts of minerals and vitamins such as A, B, E, and C.

It is also rich in calcium, protein, and antioxidants, considered low in cholesterol, and is easy to digest.

The Head of PIF's Consumer Goods and Retail in the Mena Investments Division, Majed al-Assaf, said Saudi Arabia has extensive experience and knowledge of the camel dairy industry and enormous potential to expand its operational capabilities and the broader ecosystem.

Assaf noted that these factors are a competitive advantage across the entire supply chain, which, alongside investment, "will enable significant growth of the industry, and eventually lead to the export of camel dairy products, which have many nutritional benefits, to regional and global markets."

The establishment of Sawani will support the growth of the Food and Agriculture sector and contribute to sustainable economic and social development, in line with Vision 2030.

A key part of the company's strategy is to increase awareness and knowledge of the industry to preserve it and drive sustainable growth by introducing the best scientific practices in modern manufacturing technologies locally.



Lebanon's Bonds Soar as Traders Place Counterintuitive Bets

The Lebanese national flag flutters in Beirut, Lebanon, August 18, 2020. (Reuters)
The Lebanese national flag flutters in Beirut, Lebanon, August 18, 2020. (Reuters)
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Lebanon's Bonds Soar as Traders Place Counterintuitive Bets

The Lebanese national flag flutters in Beirut, Lebanon, August 18, 2020. (Reuters)
The Lebanese national flag flutters in Beirut, Lebanon, August 18, 2020. (Reuters)

Israel's airstrikes in Lebanon are inflicting destruction that could set its economy back by years.

But the defaulted country's bonds have climbed to two-year highs, gaining a whopping 44% since late September, as traders snap them up for pennies on the dollar.

Investors reckon the weakening of Hezbollah could precipitate a shake-up of Lebanon's fractured political system and potentially an economic plan to pull the country out of default, according to Reuters.

"The reason bonds have rallied is that the market thinks that the Lebanese political class might finally be able to agree a political path forward and an economic reform plan without Hezbollah in the picture," said Anthony Symond at abrdn.

"This would pave the way for the Eurobonds to eventually be restructured."

The jump still leaves Lebanon's dollar bond maturing in 2025 trading at a paltry 8.5 cents on the dollar - a fraction of the 70-cent level at which bonds are considered distressed.

Lebanon tumbled into default in the spring of 2020 after the country's financial system plunged into a deep economic crisis in 2019. With an effectively non-functioning government wracked by discord and corruption, few expect a debt deal anytime soon.

"Lebanese bonds started getting bids after the death of Nasrallah," said Kaan Nazli, a portfolio manager with Neuberger Berman, referring to Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, whose death was announced on Sept. 28.

"Lebanon was in the 'it could not get worse' category," said Nazli, adding that the latest events could spark change.

Bruno Gennari, emerging markets strategist with KNG Securities, said rumors that Washington could use Hezbollah setbacks to push Lebanon to appoint its first president in two years had given hope.

"Is all about Hezbollah getting weaker," he said.

S&P Global Ratings said last week Israel's military action in Lebanon "put severe pressure" on Lebanon's already battered economy, and would "further delay economic and financial reforms, and the longer-term recovery of fiscal and external accounts."

S&P has a selective default rating on Lebanon's foreign currency debt.

Given their incredibly low prices, any glimmers of good news could boost Lebanon's bonds again, Nazli said

"If you see any headline on a presidential election, or even just a schedule for one - that could be a sign that things are moving forward," he said.