(MENAFN- The Peninsula) By Sanaullah Ataullah | The Peninsula
To promote local products, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment launched second phase of programme for marketing premium quality of Qatari vegetables at Carrefour at Villaggio yesterday.
The programme aims at providing platforms to local farmers to market their produce directly to shopping complexes without any broker that bring them more yields and encourages them to make more investments in agricultural sector.
'The first phase of this programme, which was launched at Al Meera in July this year has resulted in significant increase in sales, said Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, Assistant Under-secretary for Agriculture and Fisheries Affairs at the Ministry of Municipalities and Environment.
He said that the launch of the second phase is an important step towards supporting the national products.
During the inauguration ceremony, Sheikh Faleh noted that the local products showcased are of high quality and free of chemicals in attractive packaging. This reflects the good reputation of the Qatari agricultural product which is available at competitive prices compared to the imported vegetables.
He pointed out that more than 60 farms participated in the programme and helped trading of more than 667 tonnes of the premium quality of local vegetable so far.
The launch ceremony was attended by Laurent Hausknecht, Country Head for Carrefour Qatar; Adel Al Kaldi, Assistant Head of Agricultural Affairs Department at the Ministry and Ahmed Seddiqi Al Emadi, Executive Chairman of Paramount Agricole CO among other many officials and farmers.
Speaking with The Peninsula on the sidelines of the launch ceremony, Al Thani said 'amid increasing stock of agricultural produce in the country, the prices of vegetables have started declining and it is expected to reach at very reasonable levels in February.
He said that the prices of vegetables are high usually in the beginning of the season but gradually the prices decline.
'Even now at the beginning of the season, the prices of locally produced vegetables are lower compared to the imported ones, said Dr Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani.
Replying about high prices of tomatoes in local market, he said 'we are at the beginning season where farm fresh tomatoes started coming to the local market but in limited quantity.
He said that even now the local tomatoes are available at very lower prices compared to the imported ones. They are being sold between QR3 to QR8 per kg as per the quality and places across the country including Central Market, winter farmers' vegetable markets and various shopping complexes and groceries.
Al Thani said that the market share of local produce has increased 20 to 30 percent compared to last year. 'As new farmers have also joined the business this year, the production is expected to increase more, he added.
'With the help of modern techniques of farming we are trying to produce sufficient quantity of vegetable in the country, said Al Thani.
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