Qatar sold more than 37,000 tonnes of locally grown vegetables in 2024, highlighting the success of the Ministry of Municipality’s marketing initiatives aimed at boosting agricultural production. Vegetable markets and Mahaseel for Marketing and Agricultural Services Company played key roles in this achievement.
During the 2023-24 agricultural season, 150 local farms participated in the vegetable markets, selling 13,081 tonnes of produce — a significant increase compared to just 889 tonnes sold during the 2012-13 season when the markets first launched.
These figures were shared in the Ministry of Municipality’s 2024 annual report, which outlines major achievements and strategic projects aligned with the Ministry’s strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030.
In 2024, Mahaseel received 24,000 tonnes of vegetables worth QR68 million from 199 local farms. The company supports local agricultural production and the goal of achieving self-sufficiency by marketing farmers’ produce and offering agricultural services under the Ministry’s supervision. It procures vegetables through pre-contracting (Daman) and daily contracting programmes.
The Ministry, through its Agricultural Affairs Department, also provides farmers with multiple marketing platforms, including five vegetable markets (yards dedicated to agricultural produce), two marketing programmes at major retail outlets, and Mahaseel’s services.
In addition to vegetables, the ‘Dates Supply Programme’ recorded the supply of 880 tonnes of dates in 2024, compared to 513 tonnes in 2006. The Ministry, through the Department of Agricultural Affairs, continues to support date production to strengthen food security and agricultural development. Since 2006, the Ministry has operated a project to purchase dates directly from farm owners to enhance local date production.
To further support farms, the Ministry provides agricultural inputs such as greenhouses, modern irrigation systems, hydroponic systems, seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and packaging materials. It also backs efforts to market local produce and improve its quality.
Farmers can access agricultural machinery and equipment through three service centres located in Zubarah (North), Umm Salal (Central), and Al Shahaniya (South), offering services like land preparation, ploughing, and levelling.
For the 2024/2025 agricultural season, the Ministry targets supporting 441 farms with essential production inputs, up from 400 farms previously. Additionally, to promote water conservation and expand cultivated areas, the Ministry encourages farmers to adopt modern irrigation systems. In 2023, 276 farms installed modern irrigation systems, followed by another 124 farms in 2024.
Source: The Peninsula
