Qatar and Algeria to expand steel and farm projects

Qatar and Algeria have agreed to advance expansions of two major joint ventures: a $2 billion steel complex in the Bellara industrial zone and a multi-billion dollar agricultural project branded "Baladna Algeria". Algerian industry minister Yahia Bachir met with Qatari representatives in Algiers to push forward the second phase of the Bellara complex and to deepen cooperation on the agricultural programme, officials said. The Bellara plant, owned by Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS), sits in Jijel province nearly 400km east of Algiers and has a first-phase capacity of 2 million tonnes per year, with planned expansions intended to double output.

“The meeting between the ministers and the Qatari delegations in Algiers focused on the second phase of Bellara complex expansion. This project is not merely an iron and steel plant. It is a strategic tool for achieving self-sufficiency in essential raw materials for construction and manufacturing, and for strengthening Algeria’s position as a regional steel supplier,” the ministry said.

The Bellara project was established in 2013 under the AQS joint-venture structure, in which Algerian state-owned entities Sider and the National Investment Fund hold 51 percent and Qatar Steel International holds the remainder. Located in the north-eastern Bellara industrial zone in Jijel province, the facility’s initial $2 billion investment funded the first production phase. With the planned second phase, Algerian and Qatari officials aim to boost the complex’s capacity to meet rising domestic demand and to ensure Algerian steel remains competitive on international markets.

• Project name: Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS) Bellara complex
• Location: Bellara industrial zone, Jijel province (≈400km east of Algiers)
• Ownership: Sider and the National Investment Fund 51%; Qatar Steel International 49%
• Investment: $2 billion (initial); planned expansion to double capacity from 2 million tonnes/year

The meetings also covered Baladna Algeria, a large-scale farming initiative led by Baladna, Qatar’s largest farming company. Officials described the project as targeting production of milk, dairy, infant formula and other farm products with ambitions to serve both the local market and act as a regional production hub leveraging Baladna Group’s expertise in integrated agricultural and livestock operations.

In April, the partners launched phase two of the Baladna project, which involves total investments of nearly $3.5 billion. That phase includes about $635 million earmarked for cattle breeding and farmland to produce powdered milk. The plan also envisages an air link with nine US states to ship 30,000 cattle over a 10-month period to support the expansion.

Officials framed both initiatives as strategic: the steel expansion to secure raw materials for construction and manufacturing, and the Baladna venture to bolster food production and supply chains. By combining state-backed Algerian partners with Qatari private-sector know-how and capital, the partnerships seek to scale domestic industrial capacity and capture regional market share.

Outlook: With ministerial backing and concrete investment figures already committed for both Bellara and Baladna, the next steps will focus on financing finalisation, construction and logistics. The proposed doubling of steel output and the multi-billion-dollar agricultural ramp-up, if executed on schedule, could materially alter Algeria’s industrial and agri-food footprints in North Africa and neighboring markets.