A great statesman, lawyer and the 16th American President Abraham Lincoln once said: “The greatest fine art of the future will be the making of a comfortable living from a small piece of land”.
Geographically Qatar may be a small country, but as a sovereign state it is quite natural that the country aspires to be self-sufficient in whatever field is possible. It is especially paramount in the present situation as the blockading countries are employing all their might to stifle the development of Qatar in all sectors.
Qatar, under the wise leadership of Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to become self-sufficient in all fields, in particular, the food sector.
Baladna - Qatar’s dairy and poultry company - announced on Sunday that it is planning an initial public offering (IPO) during the first half of this year. Baladna’s efforts in making the country self-sufficient in dairy and milk production are commendable. The company expressed its commitment by airlifting about 4,000 Holstein cows immediately following the siege. It was not a small step, but a great leap and the company is galloping now by announcing the IPO to fund its future projects that enhance the contribution of private sector in supporting the national production efforts.
Baladna has already appointed Ernst & Young and PWC to carry out the offering process and the farm, in partnership with a group of Qatari investors, is looking to complete the IPO by the middle of 2018. The company’s target is achieving self-sufficiency in dairy products, chicken, red meat, eggs, fresh juices, animal feed and manure. It also seeks to establish a hatchery to help cover the needs of local producers and also produce 50 million eggs a year. There will be broiler poultry farms with a production capacity of 42 million chickens a year and a layer poultry farm which will produce 200 million eggs a year.
From June 5, 2017, the day the unjust siege was imposed, Qatar has been making steady progress defying all odds and beating the nefarious intentions of the blockading countries. The country has been witnessing a balanced progress towards self-dependency in all fields.
The siege has actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it prompted the country to be totally reliant on its own people and resources. With the ultramodern and climate-controlled farms and facilities, the nation is making things possible which years before most of us thought impossible. It is a true testimony of the vision of the country’s leaders. Qatar is well aware that “if it ever needs a helping hand, it will find one at the end of its arm”.
