Winter vegetable markets, an initiative of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) achieved huge success in boosting the sale of local farm produce including vegetables, honey, chicken, egg, fish and sheep in recent years.
According to the progress report of all five winter vegetable markets 2012-20 released by the MME recently, the markets since their establishment in 2012 sold 47,242 tonnes locally grown vegetables, 21,356 tonnes fruits, 20,1555 country chicken and birds, 736 tonnes fish, 103,673 crates of eggs, 13,089kg honey and 57,033 sheep.
The sale of the markets during last season 2019-20 reached 16,035 tonnes vegetables, 84 tonnes fish and 6,253 tonnes fruits.
Winter vegetable markets with the participation of 150 local farms reopened on October 29 for 2020-21 season. The markets are operating in Al Sheehaniya, Al Mazrouha, Al Wakrah, Al Khor Al Zakhira and Al Shamal on Thursday and Friday from 7am to 4pm.
The winter vegetable markets sold over 70 tonnes of different varieties of locally-grown vegetables on the first day of their reopening.
“This is the ninth season of the winter vegetable markets. The markets attracted a lot of customers on the first day. The farmers offered a good quantity of vegetables since we are at the start of the season,” said Adil Al Kaldi Al Yafai, Assistant Head of Agricultural Affairs Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME).
Speaking to Qatar TV, Al Yafai said that over 70 tonnes of different vegetables were sold on first day at all five winter vegetable markets.
Local farms showcased large quantity of vegetables at the markets at competitive prices during first week (October 29 to 31) despite the fact it is beginning of the season.
“We exhibited a variety of vegetables from our farm including cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin, bitter-gourd, beans, eggplant, mint, coriander and jarjeer (arugula),” Mohamad Iqbal from a local farm operating in Umm Qarn suburb told The Peninsula.
Iqbal said that his farm is participating in winter vegetable markets of Al Mazrouah and Al Khor-and-Al Zakhira with large quantity of vegetables apart from those which are being supplied to Al Sailiya Central Market and commercial outlets.
Speaking about the demand of farm produce, Iqbal said: “We sold at our outlet in Al Mazrouah market during first week about 200 boxes of eggplants, 60 boxes of cucumber, and 40 boxes of bitter gourd.”
Regarding the prices of the vegetables, he said bulletin of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry set the prices at QR24, QR17 and QR14 for a box of about 6kg of eggplant as per the quality and size of the vegetable.
“We sell a 6kg box of cucumber at QR14 and same quantity of bitter gourd at QR28,” said Iqbal.
He said that in case of bargaining, the outlets can reduce the prices for a little bit but cannot sell over the price given in the bulletin. “We will sell honey, country chicken and eggs from next week,” said Iqbal adding that the honey will be available at QR250 per kg and eggs at QR25 per crate.
He said that the produce of local farms will increase by the end of November and December where a number of vegetables like tomato, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and many leafy vegetables like spinach will be ready to harvest.
The farm-fresh authentic local produce is giving tough competition to the imported produce in the markets. The produce undergoes quality and safety checks. Samples of vegetables are taken to the laboratory of the Ministry of Public Health for testing pesticide residues.
The produce falling below the residue control standards are not allowed at the markets. Engineers from the Ministry visit the farms to educate the farmers on ways to get rid of the pesticide residue.
The markets have been reopened strictly adhering to the prescribed preventive and precautionary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. Implementing COVID-19 measures at the markets, salesmen, porters and cleaners were tested for COVID-19 ahead of the opening.
The markets are part of a major project of the Agricultural Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment to provide marketing platforms for the produce of local farms.
The markets enable farmers to sell their produce directly to the customers without middlemen so they can get good yields for their hard work and investments. The Ministry supports local farms with different ways encouraging them to increase the produce which helps in creating healthy competition in the market.
The Agricultural Affairs Department provided farmers with boxes, for marketing vegetables, and stalls at the markets free of cost. For 2020-21 season, the Department provided the productive farms 3,500 greenhouses — regular, cooled and hydroponic — vegetable seeds, fertilizers and pesticide free of cost.
