The yards for selling fresh local farm products are being readied for opening on Thursday to concur with the upcoming agricultural season, a senior official has said.
The maintenance and development works at the yards that pertain to the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) have almost been completed in preparation for the
 

Abdulrahman Hassan al-Sulaiti
reopening on Thursday, said Abdulrahman Hassan al-Sulaiti, general superviser of these yards at the ministry.
"About 75% of the necessary maintenance and development works at the five yards - at Al Mazrouah, Al Wakrah, Al Khor and Al Thakhira, Al Shamal, and Al Sheehaniya - has already been completed and the remaining works are set to be finished soon. This is in preparation for selling the produce during the upcoming agricultural season," he told local Arabic daily Arrayah.
The maintenance works cover all the buildings and facilities in addition to replacing and maintaining the shades and the market umbrellas, internal planning and paving of the grounds to make them ready to receive customers.


Yards works are set to be finished soon


The yards market around 50% of the local produce

He said that 150 local farms are set to take part in the new season and supply their fresh products for sale at these yards, and the number of farms could increase as the season unfolds. He pointed out that all these yards will see expansions during the new season increasing the number of fruit and vegetable shops to give customers better and a more convenient shopping experience. The yards will be operational three days a week (Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) from 7 am to 4 pm.
Al- Sulaiti stressed that these yards have considerably contributed in encouraging local farms to increase their products as they market around 50% of the local produce while the remaining part mostly goes to the Central Market and shopping malls. He added that paying attention to the quality of the products on display at these yards have reflected positively on the turnout of customers who consider these as their preferred destination for buying fresh vegetables and fruits.
During the previous seasons, samples of the fruits and vegetables on display used to be tested regularly for traces of insecticides and make sure that they are safe for human consumption, as all the products sold at these yards are subject to strict MME control.
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