(MENAFN- The Peninsula) By Sanaullah Ataullah / The Peninsula
DOHA: Non-productive farms covering a total area of 600,000sqm are expected to start producing vegetables from next agricultural season under an initiative 'IKTAFA launched recently by Hassad Food to increase the local production.
'The company has received overwhelming response from the owners of inactive farms, as farms measuring 600,000sqm are all set to get benefit from phase one project that will be implemented under the initiative, said Deputy CEO of Hassad Food Company, Ali bin Hilal Al Kuwari while speaking in a talk-show of Al Rayyan TV.
He said that now Hassad Food is about to complete the procedures for making contracts with targeted farm-owners of first phase in a bid to start the project by the beginning of coming agricultural season.
'We have approached some owners of non-productive farms to know the reason for not producing agricultural products. We met them and launched the initiative to encourage them to start production, said Al Kuwari.
He said that Hassad conducted feasibility study for the farmers and helped them to get bank finance.
Other supports of being provided by the company include helping the farms with agricultural inputs, provision of seeds, fertilizers, necessary equipment and establishing shades.
Under the initiative, the agricultural engineers and experts from Hassad will also monitor the crops to ensure the quality of the products.
He said that marketing of the products for these farms was the most important aspect for farmers, therefore, Hassad Food within the agreement of the initiative will buy all vegetables produced by these farms and sell them through its own ways.
By the beginning of blockade, Arab Qatari Agricultural Production Company ‘Qtfa' of Hassad started acquiring more spaces of free land for cultivating vegetables, said Al Kuwari.
He said that the company had added 40,000 sqm with the help of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment to its existing agricultural farms and readied them to cultivate, adding that the Ministry also initiated providing another 80,000 sqm land to the company for agricultural purpose.
Hassad Food does not compete with private companies rather encourages them to implement the projects.
'We created opportunities for private companies and are standing behind them to establish their own firms, said Al Kuwari.
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