Abu Hamour fish market, adjacent to Doha-Central Market.
The new central fish market at Umm Salal will open its doors to customers on Sunday evening , following the shuttering of the years-old fish market in Abu Hamour by noon that day.
The last auction of imported fish at the existing market will be held in the early hours on April 9, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) said in a circular issued to the fish vendors yesterday.
Authorities took some of the fish vendors to the central fish market in Umm Salal to show them the facility and spaces allocated for their business yesterday. However, many of the vendors are uncertain about their business with the closure of the decades old Abu Hamour fish market, adjacent to Doha-Central Market.
The last working day at existing fish market will be April 9, said the Permanent Committee for Central Market Administration at MEC in a circular issued to the fish vendors. The committee also notified the owners of fish outlets, traders and fish-brokerage offices that the last auction of imported fish at existing fish Market in Abu Hamour will be held in the morning on April 9.
However, the auction for local fish will be held on same day at the central fish market in Umm Salal after Maghrib prayers, said the circular.
The committee has also given a deadline of noon on April 9, to fish vendors, traders and brokers to complete the procedures for signing the contract for spaces at the new market. The Ministry will lease spaces at the new fish market for two years renewable for a similar period.
Application can be downloaded from the Ministry's website and submitted at the headquarters of the committee at MEC premise in Lusail City. The office will be open only in the morning.
Those failing to sign the contract and book spaces in the new market could lose their rights of claim, as the committee has the right to take all alternative measures, said the ministry.
“The officials transported representatives from each stall to the new market yesterday and we were shown the allocated space. The new location is spacious, and tidy and has all the facilities needed,” one of the vendors told The Peninsula.
Vendors at the Doha Central fish market are sceptical about prospect of their business at new location. “It is new area, and in the beginning, we are expecting some initial loss in business as it will take some time for customers to come to Umm Salal. Most of us have regular customers and we hope they would come to the new facility. Another issue would be vegetable market in Doha is not being shifted now, as some of customers drop by the fish market while they go to buy vegetables at the central market at reasonable prices,” said another vendor.
“The new market is located away from Doha so it is a matter of concern. The shifting will cause some temporary sluggishness in business. However, since the new facility is spacious, we hope it would attract more customers as there won’t be any crowding that we see at the Doha fish market,” said another vendor.
