Doha: Winter vegetable markets will reopen tomorrow for 2020-21 season with the participation of 150 local farms, offering fresh locally-grown vegetables at competitive prices.
“The winter vegetable markets which helped to market over 16,000 tonnes of local vegetables during the last season are located in Al Sheehaniya, Al Mazrouha, Al Wakrah, Al Khor Al Zakhira and Al Shamal,” said
Ahmad Salim Al Yafai, Head of the Agricultural Services and Guidance Section at the Agricultural Affairs Department of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME).
Speaking in a Qatar Radio programme, Al Yafai said the markets will run for the new season on weekends — Thursday to Saturday from 7am to 4pm.
“The winter vegetable markets will offer various types of vegetables including cucumber, tomato, zucchini, eggplant, different types of leafy vegetables, pumpkin, sweet melon and watermelon,” said Al Yafai. Dates and honey from local farms will also be available at the markets.
Al Yafai said that Agricultural Affairs Department of the Ministry had readied the markets enabling local farmers to offer their produce while adhering to the prescribed preventive and precautionary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. “Implementing COVID-19 measures at the markets, porters and cleaners have been tested for COVID-19. Health status on Ehteraz app will also be checked at the entry points to the markers,” said Al Yafai.
The Agricultural Affairs Department has provided farmers with boxes, for marketing vegetables, and stalls at the markets free of cost, enabling them to sell directly to the customers without middlemen to get good return for their investments and hard work.
“The Department provided the productive farms 3,500 greenhouses — regular, cooled and hydroponic — vegetable seeds, fertilizers and pesticide free of cost which will help in growing the produce in large quantity this season,” said Al Yafai. He said the 2019-20 season helped market 16,000 tonnes of vegetables, the highest quantity since the opening of the markets.
MoCI will determine the vegetable prices at these markets. However, he said, the MME will monitor the quality of the produce and implement the COVID-19 safety measures.
The produce will undergo quality and safety checks. “Samples of vegetables will be sent to the laboratory of the Ministry of Public Health for testing pesticide residues. The test results will come within two days,” said Ahmad Salim Al Yafai.
The produce falling below the residue control standards will be not allowed at the markets. “Engineers from the Ministry will visit the farms to educate the farmers on ways to get rid of the pesticide residue,” said Al Yafai.
