Cucumber farming at QADCO
Doha: Qatar’s biggest vegetable producing company Qatarat Agricultural Development Company (QADCO), is planning to expand its production by increasing the area under cultivation. The company that meets country’s one-third of vegetables requirement, plans to increase its farming land by 10 percent annually. The company also plans to export vegetables to European countries.
“We are the biggest producer of vegetables in Qatar, producing over 94 varieties of vegetables in our farms,” Nezar M A Al Atawneh, Operations Manager, QADCO told The Peninsula. “We plan to increase the area of farmed land by 10 percent annually. This will lead to increase in production and help in country’s efforts in reaching self sufficiency in vegetables,” he added.
The company, that supplies over 92 varieties of vegetables to Qatar Airways, owns 32 farms which are spread across the country. Of the total 32 farms, QADCO owns three farms while other farms are managed by the company.
“The demand for vegetables is diverse in Qatar because residents here are from different countries. They demand different varieties of vegetables and food items. We are meeting around 30 percent of Qatar’s requirement of vegetables from our farms,” he added.
Company’s plan to expand production comes at a time when the country is focusing on achieving self sufficiency in food items.
The Ministry of Municipality and Environment, last month, revealed ‘The Strategic Food Security Projects 2019-2023’ that aims to increase production of vegetables, fish, red meat, eggs and shrimps in the country.
The local production of vegetables has reached 66,000 tonnes in a year accounting 24 percent of total demand in the local market, according to The Ministry of Municipality and Environment.
“We own three farms whereas the rest of the farms are managed by us. We help these farms in all possible ways to increase the productivity by giving them new technologies and making them aware about new agricultural practices. We also help them in marketing and conduct training session about agricultural practices,” Nezar M A Al Atawneh added.
The company is also eyeing export market. It has already applied for global certifications which are required to export vegetables to European countries. “We are also looking to export now very soon. We are looking to become one of the main exporters of vegetables in Qatar,” he said.
The company supplies vegetables to several big names in retail sector including Carrefour, Al Meera, Lulu and other hypermarkets.
“We have all kind of farms including conventional, greenhouses, net houses, hydroponic farms, open fields, net planting farms,” he added.
