Doha: The ambitious plan of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) to increase the production of local vegetables to a sufficient level round-the-year has started bearing fruits as over 132 tonnes of local vegetables were sold out in a single month (September) during off season.
The plan aims at an upscale self-sufficiency rate up to 70 percent (year-round) in vegetable production in the next five years in Qatar.
The Ministry said in statement yesterday that ‘Qatar Farms Programme’ and ‘Premium Qatar Farms Programme’ helped market over 132 tonnes of local vegetables in September.
The programs are run by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry at major commercial outlets like Lulu Hypermarkets, Al Meera, Family Food Center, Carrefour among many more.
Both the programmes enable local farms to supply their produce to commercial outlets without middlemen. The initiatives aim at proving reasonable prices to local farmers for their investments and handwork by offering farm fresh vegetables to the customers at competitive prices.
The good yield also encourages local farms to increase their products. To achieve the target, the Ministry has allotted large plots of lands to private companies and import latest farming technologies to increase the production of existing farms.
According to the Ministry, new projects will contribute in producing about 22,000 tonnes of vegetables per year to enhance self-sufficiency of the country in vegetable production from existing 30 percent to 40 percent.
Special steps and initiatives have been included in the specifications of the projects to ensure the round-the-year production of vegetables.
The local market needs 2, 260,000 tonnes of vegetables in a year. With the implementation of new projects within next five years as per the plan, the self-sufficiency of the country in vegetable production will reach between 60 to 70 percent.
