Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), HE the Minister noted the wide participation in the two exhibitions locally, internationally, and from the GCC, pointing to the tangible and great results and successes achieved by the previous exhibitions. He explained that Qatar has achieved high production rates, both in farming and livestock, as well as sufficiency of some commodities, which encourages the export of the surplus abroad, in line with implementing the Qatar National Strategy for Environment and Climate Change, which was launched in October.
The Undersecretary of the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Eng Ahmed bin Saleh al-Ayada, said the kingdom's participation in the two exhibitions helps in strengthening co-operation between the two countries. He said that Saudi Arabia is keen to partake in the two exhibitions, with dozens of exhibitors from all relevant associations and private sector companies, date farms, the Saudi Organic Farming Association, the Saudi Aquaculture Society, and fish companies.
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Qatar and Saudi Arabia are working together for agricultural co-operation through exchanging experiences between the private and public sectors, and ensuring the flow of goods between the two countries, he added. He pointed out that there are many partnerships held between the two countries in the agricultural field, expressing aspiration for more trade exchange between Doha and Riyadh. HE the Undersecretary for Agriculture at Omani Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, Dr Ahmed bin Nasser al-Bakri, described the large participation of companies specialised in the agricultural and environmental fields in the two exhibitions as a pioneering and exemplary step, especially at the GCC level.
He also said that the two current versions are witnessing a great development in terms of the number of countries, companies, and participating and exhibiting entities, stressing the importance of these gatherings and meetings to enhance the food security system and agricultural production.
Al-Bakri said that about 29 Omani companies from the private and public sectors are participating in the two exhibitions, expressing hope that Omani companies will enter into partnerships and co-operation deals with their GCC counterparts to promoting their products, as well as with companies from outside the region to select products from the global market to be supplied to the Omani markets.
He underlined that the 9th AgriteQ and the 3rd EnviroteQ would enhance agricultural co-operation between the GCC countries, whether at the level of the public sector or the private sector. Director of the Food Security Department at the Ministry of Municipality Dr Masoud Jarallah al-Marri underscored the importance of the exhibitions in terms of facing global challenges in these areas and achieving food security by providing and adopting modern agricultural technologies at a reasonable cost.
He added that the two exhibitions provide great opportunities for exchanging expertise and experiences between Qatari agricultural companies and their counterparts in other countries and learn about modern technologies used in the agricultural field, such as those related to alternative energy and techniques to increase production. Al-Marri stressed the importance of the exhibitors in motivating Qatari farmers to increase production, especially in crops that are difficult to store and acquire technology to help achieve this goal by entering into partnerships and co-operation with similar foreign companies.