Aswaq for Food Facilities Management, a subsidiary of Hassad Foods, on Tuesday announced that the Al Wakra Central Market has started operations.

The facility includes a livestock central market with an automated slaughterhouse, cattle barns, shops, hypermarket, traditional and vegetable markets, shops and administrative buildings.

Mohamed Ghanim al-Kubisi, general manager of Aswaq, while announcing the opening, told Gulf Times that the market will help the country achieve self-sufficiency in the food sector and also held the local produce reach the market.

Hassad took up efforts for the development of the market in co-ordination with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment.

The market has adopted the latest international systems that serve the needs of the producer, trader and consumer. Spread over an area of approximately 230,000sqm, the market is located in the midpoint of central roads networks.

The new central market is 30 minutes from the heart of Doha and 10 minutes from Hamad Port, the central facility for importing livestock and fodder.

The 14,000sqm automated slaughterhouse has a capacity to handle 9,000 livestock a day. It has modern techniques to maintain product quality and the efficiency of operations. An agreement was signed between Hassad and Widam Food to run the new slaughterhouse.

While announcing the operation, Mohamed al-Hajiri, operations manager at Widam Foods, said the slaughterhouse can complete slaughtering, cutting and packing within 20 minutes. Customers can keep track of the progress of their order through digital display boards.

“Advanced facilities have been put in place. We have separate lines for sheep and cows and camels,” al-Hajiri said.

The slaughterhouse can handle 240 sheep per hour and 250 camels and cattle per day. In addition to porters, butchers, cutters and packing staff, there are 10 veterinarians at the slaughterhouse. The veterinarians will check the animals before they are slaughtered and later the meat in order to ensure quality.

The barns section comprises more than 600 livestock barns that follow international specifications. They are divided between the display area and storage that are shaded with roofs. Public can buy animals from the barns and transfer them to the slaughterhouse. A number will be given to customers when animals are handed over to the slaughterhouse and the packed meat can be received at the counters.

Al-Hajiri said the slaughterhouse is equipped with advanced waste management facilities. The waste is sold at a later stage from the basement.

The retail, wholesale and hypermarket sections are air-conditioned. The market includes 102 shops to support the market’s main activity such as fodder, grain, and veterinary supplies. The market also includes fodder storage space of more than 5,200sqm.

Additionally, the retail section includes 76 shops and a traditional market that sell vegetables and fruits, dried fruit, honey, and dates. Six service shops are allocated for eateries.


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