The Doha Central Market has started receiving ample quantities of different varieties of locally produced vegetables ahead of the winter agriculture season, local Arabic daily 'Arrayah' reported Friday. The prices are also reasonable compared to the imported vegetables, besides being fresher. For instance, sweet melon was recently sold at QR15 per box, white onions QR10, chillis QR12, eggplants QR16, cauliflower QR20, zucchini QR25, and okra QR20.
A box could weigh between two and seven kg, depending on the type of vegetable. Besides, different types of leafy vegetables are available at the market. Consumers and sellers alike have expressed their happiness at having such products at this time of the year fresh from Qatari farms on a daily basis to be sold at the market at reasonable price. They also expressed their confidence that in this way local producers could soon cover almost all the needs of local consumption of different vegetables.
Since the unjust blockade was first imposed on Qatar on June 5, 2017 by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, Qatar farms have intensified their efforts to boost production using the latest technologies in the field, in particular, using green houses to overcome the climate difficulties.
In addition, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment have given more focus on the use of modern technology in agriculture. Accordingly, the space of planted land increased from around 120 hectares in 2010 by 150% amounting to more than 300 hectares in 2018.
In the meantime, plant nurseries around the country have completed their preparations for the winter season by providing the saplings of various types of plants, trees and roses as the turnout of customers is expected to increase with the weather getting cooler.
The operators of such nurseries stressed that their sales during this time of the year increase steadily compared with other period of the year, and even more than 70% increase compared to the summer season. Besides the various types of plants, vegetables and flowers, customers tend to buy other farming tools, materials and necessities, which are also provided by these nurseries.
Prices of these plants could start from QR1 to higher prices according to the rarity, quality and origin of the plant, in addition to the demand. Customers include individuals for home gardens and farm owners for agriculture production. While individuals mostly go for small and decorative plants, farm owners prefer fruit trees that could adapt to the local environment.
