Visitors at Al Mazrouah, which opened yesterday.
DOHA: With an extended agricultural season in Qatar this year, lasting eight months, three winter vegetable markets opened yesterday, offering fresh vegetables to the customers straight from the local farms at attractive prices.
The annual winter markets run by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment are located at Al Mazrouah (Near Umm Salal), Al Khor-Dhakhira and Al Wakrah. Entering its fifth year, the open markets, set up in the open ground, have gained huge popularity among citizens and expatriates.
“The Ministry will do new experiments to increase the local produce as the agriculture season has been extended to nearly eight months,” said Abdurrahman Al Sulaiti, Supervisor of the farmers’ markets.
He said that two new markets for locally produced vegetables will open next year at Muaithir and Al Ruwais. “This season will see nine festivals on the sidelines to promote locally produced flowers, honey, strawberry, dates among others,” said Al Sulaiti.
Outlets selling flowers, hens, birds, live animals and fresh fish have also been added to attract more customers. An outlet for imported fruits and vegetables (only onions and potatoes) is also available at Al Mazrouah, the largest of the three markets.
More than 80 Qatari vegetable farms, 40 animal farms and three fisheries are participating this season. There is a poultry and bird shop as well. The outlets selling vegetable, fish, birds are open for three days (Thursday to Saturday) from 7am to 5pm. However, the shops for animals and the slaughterhouse at Al Mazrouah will work seven days in a week.
Most vegetable farms have registered their presence on the very first day at Al Mazrouah Yard, much ahead of the actual harvest season in the country. They showcased half a dozen fresh produce like eggplants, zucchini (Kusa), bottle guard, rocket leaves (Jarjir) among others from open air farms. Cucumbers were also available in large stocks but all from greenhouses. A price list for the vegetables is being issued on daily basis by the Ministry. The outlets can offer discounts from the officially approved prices but they are not permitted charge more.
A box of 7kg cucumber (small) was available at Al Mazrouah yesterday at QR10 and the big one at QR8. A box of 5kg eggplant was sold at QR12. A bottle guard of 7kg was selling at QR14. Kusa had two offers; QR16 for a small box and QR8 for big one. A box of jarjir was available at QR14.
The most expensive was a type of green bean at QR33 for a 4kg box.
“We harvest some 300 boxes of vegetables including cucumbers, Kusa, eggplants and bottle guards on daily basis,” Mohamad, a salesman from a big farm at Jamiliya told The Peninsula.
“This is just the beginning. After one month we expect much more produce like tomato, capsicum, chilli, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and lettuce,” he added.
“We cultivated these vegetables in August and began harvesting from the beginning of this month. The produce will increase from December when all types of vegetables will be ready,” said another salesman.
Locally produced honey and eggs were also on offer at the vegetable stalls.
An egg was available at QR1 and 1kg of honey at QR250.
The fish stalls were seen crowded by noon yesterday. Kingfish (small) was available at QR20 per kg and the big one at QR40 and Sheri at QR12 per kg. A large number of citizens and expatriates including women and children visited the markets yesterday. Salesmen at Mazrouah said that they sold 10 to 20 boxes of vegetables in the morning on the first day.
