(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Some 200 trucks laden with food products have arrived in Qatar from Turkey via the port of Bushehr in Iran, local Arabic daily Al Sharq has reported, citing a local businessman. The trucks travelled by road before being shipped on roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels to Ruwais port in Qatar from Bushehr. They carried milk, fruits, vegetables, grains and other food products, Ahmed al-Khalaf told the daily.
This development comes as the private sector in Qatar continues to find swift alternatives for importing goods that would earlier come or through from the blockading countries. New trade routes have been opened with Oman, Turkey, Iran, India, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Brazil, in addition to Europe.
The recently-launched route from Turkey via Bushehr port in Iran will help reduce the cost of transporting goods, it is believed. It will also help cut down on travel time compared to the older routes, and this is vital as food items need to be transported quickly to prevent them from going bad. The launch of the route marks a significant step in tackling the blockade as less transportation time means perishable items can be ferried quickly without damage.
Experts feel the new trade line will lead to a decline of nearly 80% in the transportation cost of food items compared to air freight charges, according to earlier reports.
Stressing that Hamad Port is the main gateway for ensuring food security in the country, al-Khalaf said the launch of sugar, rice and vegetable oil plants would provide the base for further developing the Qatari food sector that would help cater to the needs of the local market, and any surplus could be exported. He told the daily that the private sector has played a key role during the siege, and businesses have closely followed the efforts made by the State and its agencies to ensure the availability of various commodities and goods in the market.
He also called on the private sector to do the needful to set up a large fodder factory, which would serve as the main pillar for livestock development in the country. Such a factory is essential now as it will help provide a viable alternative to imports. Al-Khalaf said the country spends around QR1.6bn to QR2bn to subsidise such products. Besides saving such huge sums, Qatar will be in a good position to export such items if a factory is built here, he adds.
MENAFN0609201700670000ID1095824503
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.