Food export is among a range of areas South Africa is seeking to promote in Qatar, says Professor Shirish M Soni, the new South African Ambassador. South Africa is also looking forward to building on existing partnerships with Qatar in areas such as diplomacy, trade, education and culture. Professor Soni took over as ambassador in November.
“We have very good food which South Africa exports such as processed food, fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. South Africa is exporting food to many countries around the world, so our aim is to promote South African food products onto the shelves of supermarkets in Qatar,” said Professor Soni.
Trade between South Africa and Qatar currently stands at QR1.06bn, with a trade surplus favourable to Qatar. South Africa purchases the bulk of petroleum related products from Qatar, while the country exports, amongst other products, fresh fruits and vegetables, food agro-processed products, steel and textiles to Qatar.
“We want to promote our products among food chains. We are confident that the consumers in Qatar - the Qataris as well as the expatriates - will enjoy the South African products,” said Professor Soni speaking on the sidelines of South African Week being held at the Westin Hotel.
The event, running until March 25, promotes South African flavors -delicious cuisine showcasing originality and flair of dishes prepared with authentic ingredients, by Chef Fahiem Viljoen who has flown in from Cape Town. It being held as part of the upcoming South African National Day on April 27.
The embassy also aims at promoting South African culture and tradition in a slew of events to coincide with their National Day celebrations. The events will showcase South African food, music as well as special concepts emphasizing the South African culture will be showcased at hotels including Shangari La and Oryx Rotana, says Professor Soni.
Separately, the number of Qataris and expatriates travelling to South Africa has increased by 23 percent in 2016, as the country is becoming a popular destination for tourists from here.
“In Qatar, we are targeting both segments, the Qataris and expatriates. Many people here want to visit South Africa and enjoy our country. The numbers are going up and there has been an increase of almost 23 percent in the number of people travelling from Qatar to South Africa between 2015 an 2016. It is more interesting that our figures show not only first time visitors to South Africa, but also those who travel for the second time,” said Professor Soni.
