Minister of Municipality and Environment, H E Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi, speaking to media at the 6th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition & Conference ‘AgriteQ’ at Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre (DECC) yesterday.
DOHA: Qatar will become almost self-sufficient in some agricultural sectors by 2022, in accordance with Qatar National Vision 2030, said Minister of Municipality and Environment H E Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi.
“The production of vegetables, fish, meat, chicken, eggs, milk and fodder in Qatar jumped 400 percent since 2017 compared to the previous year due to state support to the agricultural sector,” said the Minister.
He was speaking with the media persons on the sideline of the opening of the 6th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition & Conference “AgriteQ” at Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre (DECC) yesterday.
The Minister said that Qatar allocated QR70m to support local farmers adding that the money will be spent in providing agricultural equipment, inputs and pesticides among many other thing as per the need. Regarding the marketing local agricultural productions, Al Rumaihi said “the Ministry of Municipality and Environment is working to support the farmers to establish a company for marketing their products which is an appropriate solution for marketing problem.”
Amid growing concerns on agricultural sector, the number of protected farms in the country has reached over 1,200 this year, said the Minister. He said that three centers for conducting research on animals, fish and Houbara Bustard were built which will help increase the production to ensure the food security of the country. The trade volume of fresh food items in Qatar is about QR10bn in a year, said the Minister.
“Ministry of Municipality and Environment will open a new research center for reproducing animals next week,” said Dr Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, Assistant Undersecretary of Agricultural Affairs, Livestock and Fisheries, at the Ministry.
He said that the new center will offer best species of the animals to local farmers to help increase the production of meat and dairy. Regarding the self-sufficiency in local production, Al Thani said that Qatar’s self-sufficiency reached 98 percent in the production of fresh chicken adding that local vegetables meet big portion of market demand as tomato, cucumber and green chilly are covering 40 percent, 60 percent and 42 percent of Qatar’s total requirement.
