DOHA: The Al Mazroua yard, the new market for local vegetables, will close by this month-end, with the harvest season nearing its end.
The market near Umm Salal was opened last December, offering better revenue to farmers and lower prices to consumers. The harvest season normally starts in October and continues until April. The market will reopen in October for the next season, Al Sharq said yesterday.
It helped reduce vegetable prices by about 40 per cent compared to those in the central vegetable market in Doha, the daily said, quoting Ibrahim Al Haddad, head of the market’s managing committee. He said that the stocks had dwindled significantly with the harvest season coming to an end.
Several farmers welcomed the new venture, saying they are making higher profits. They are able to sell their products directly to traders without middlemen, who used to grab a major chunk of profits.
Farms normally stop production by this period but a few greenhouses are still producing vegetables. Establishing more greenhouses in the country can ensure year-round supply, said a farmer.
The yard is spread over 2,300sqm, with 22 stalls for local farms and two for Hassad Foods company. Farmers urged renovation of the market by the next season with more facilities and services.
The Peninsula
