Doha: Qatar’s National Food Security Strategy has succeeded in building a resilient food supply chain and increasing local production and storage capacity, said an official.
“Under the National Food Security Strategy, sources of food import for Qatar were diversified, which proved its efficiency during geopolitical crises caused by Russia-Ukraine war,” said Director of the Food Security Department at the Ministry of Municipality, Dr. Masoud Jarallah Al Marri.
Speaking to Al Rayyan TV recently, he said Qatar did not face any crises because it has diversified sources of import such as Canada, Australia and India.
“In the beginning of the crisis, some shipments were delayed from a country but we had shipments from other countries. There was no impact at all,” said Al Marri.
He said Qatar National Food Security Strategy 2018-2023 aims to provide quality foods at reasonable prices through local production, strategic storage, and securing import sources.
“The strategic storage capacity of basic food commodities of Qatar reached six months. Private food companies are also operating with storage capacity with up to four weeks to cope with any disruption in food supply chain,” said Al Marri.
He said basic food commodities not possible to be produced in Qatar are being provided through the strategic storage facilities. These commodities include wheat, rice, edible oil, milk powder, beans, lentils, and dried fruits among others. Speaking about the local production, Al Marri said Qatar has become self-sufficient in fresh milk and chicken.
Explaining the consumption pattern of chicken in the country, he said 20 percent fresh chicken and 80 percent imported frozen chicken are being consumed.
“For frozen chicken, we depend on import and storage. However, fresh chicken is being produced in Qatar, in which we have achieved 100 percent self-sufficiency,” said Al Marri.
He said the local production of table eggs has reached 55 percent of the country's total demand. “The strategy targeted to increase the production of table eggs to 70 percent [of local demand] by next year.
"The self-sufficiency in producing five basic types of vegetables has reached 46 percent, with the aim to increase it to 70 percent." The Food Security Department Director said Qatar has become self-sufficient by up to 70 percent in dates and 75 percent in fish. “The self-sufficiency rate of the country in producing red meat has reached 20 percent. Projects for fattening livestock were launched in coordination with the private sector to increase meat production to 30 percent. We depend on imported frozen meat for the remaining 70 percent,” said Al Marri.
Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Municipality, has achieved in recent years a great leap in the levels of self-sufficiency in agricultural products, as a result of the support provided by the Ministry of Municipality to producers in the agricultural sector including vegetables, livestock and fish.
