Minister of Municipality and Environment, H E Eng. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie; Minister of Transport and Communications, H E Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti; Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs H E Yousuf bin Moh
The Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) — under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani — inaugurated the eighth Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ) and the second Qatar International Environmental Exhibition (EnviroteQ) yesterday. The event will run until March 27 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC).
The inauguration was attended by top government officials, Sheikhs, Ministers, diplomats, and other stakeholders in agriculture in Qatar and worldwide.
Commenting on the exhibition, Minister of Municipality and Environment, H E Eng. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, said despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the exhibition has attracted many companies in the agricultural and environmental sectors.
This edition of AgriteQ is attended by more than 200 exhibitors, 42 countries, and more than 65 Qatari farms. The Honey and dates market has been set up this year, dedicated to producers from Qatar and the world. It is also a platform for distributors, suppliers, and consumers to coordinate directly. The nursery market includes selected nurseries displaying their production within the set plan to achieve self-sufficiency in flowers, trees, herbs, and green spaces.
According to Mordor Intelligence, Qatar agriculture market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3% between 2021 and 2026. Hence, the exhibition highlights Qatar’s food security plans, including holding international exhibitions that showcase the development in Qatar’s agricultural sector with regards to the Qatar National Food Security Strategy 2018 –2023. Assistant Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, H E Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, said AgriteQ and EnviroteQ are evolving in quality every year to illustrate Qatar’s commitment to agriculture and food security. He said some Qatari companies have started exporting their produce after meeting the local demand significantly. He said the country is 117% self sufficient in tomato, and 100% in cucumbers and fish, except for the varieties not found in Gulf waters. Sheikh Faleh noted that self-sufficiency rates in milk, meat and fish have risen substantially, cutting imports of these products and stabilising their prices.
He announced several fish farms have started their operations and begun producing. Two fish factories will be opened soon to enhance the added value of low-priced fish with a production capacity of 2,000 tonnes annually. There is also an initiative to produce 600 tonnes of tilapia fish in cooperation with Qatar Development Bank (QDB) and the establishment of two farms that meet 40% of Qatar’s needs for this type of fish.
Sheikh Faleh said contracts and MoUs would be signed to establish three factories to produce fodder, nine farms for sheep-raising, and the inauguration of the largest paper production plant in the Middle East, with an area of 3,000 square metres in cooperation with one of the major Japanese companies. On the environment side, Assistant Undersecretary for Environmental Affairs, Eng. Hassan Jumaa Al Muhannadi, said this year’s event presents and proposes environmental solutions in various fields. It also provides a specialised platform for the exchange of international and local experience and the opportunity for companies to take advantage of commercial opportunities in this sector in Qatar.
He said the exhibition shows Qatar’s commitment to the environment being one of the main pillars of the Qatar National Vision 2030, particularly in the fields of water treatment, waste management, smart agriculture, and others.
He added that several books like the Agricultural Calendar Book and State of the Environment Book in the State of Qatar, and the first Qatari encyclopedia of its kind for plants in the eastern Arabian Peninsula in cooperation with the Gulf Organization for Research & Development (GORD) would be launched during the exhibition.
Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Exhibition and Director of the Public Parks Department, Mohammed Ali Al Khoury, said the exhibition provides a platform linking institutions and business. It also enables exhibitors and visitors to meet senior decision-makers from the public and private sectors through pre-prepared meetings to discuss partnerships and potential opportunities.
Al Khoury said a three-day virtual conference would be held in the morning and evening sessions with 24 countries, including 26 research papers covering agriculture and the environment. It will shed light on innovations and agricultural techniques, and define the roadmap to achieve food security and sustainable development.
The Qatar Agricultural Exhibition hosts specialized exhibition areas. The Veterinary Products Zone (VeteQ), a specialised platform for veterinary health, will introduce a wide range of services, equipment, and veterinary products for livestock, poultry, and other species. The Food Industry Zone (FoodteQ) will shed light on the latest agricultural products and food packaging and processing machinery.
The vegetable market at the exhibition includes about 65 Qatari farms offering the public fresh vegetables and fruits alongside the honey and dates market and the nursery market, which are being held for the first time this year.
