Tribune News Network
Doha
Under the patronage of the Ministry of Municipality and represented by the Agricultural Affairs Department, in cooperation with Hassad Food Company, the Umm Salal Winter Festival is set to be inaugurated today, November 21, at Umm Salal Central Market.
The festival will host several important events and exhibitions until February 19, 2025, with the aim of supporting local products by providing a suitable marketing platform for local producers throughout the winter season.
Yousef Khalid Al Khulaifi, director of the Agricultural Affairs Department at the Ministry of Municipality, said: “The launch of Umm Salal Winter Festival in cooperation between the ministry and Hassad Food aims to support local farm owners and provide guidance to farmers, in order to enhance the quality of local products as well as achieve efficiency in production, in addition to increase the economic return to farm owners.”
Engineer Ali Hilal Al Kuwari, chief executive officer of Hassad Food, expressed pleasure with the launch of Umm Salal Winter Festival in its first edition.
Kuwari thanked the Ministry of Municipality for its support on the festival launch and the accompanying events and exhibitions.
He also emphasised the importance of cooperation and roles of integration between state institutions to support local products.
He explained that the festival is in line with Hassad strategy, which aims to support in achieving food security for Qatar.
Kuwari welcomed the participation of the “Families of Home-Grown Projects” in the festival.
The Ministry of Municipality has introduced plans and programmes to support farmers, such as providing early services with improved quality, while ensuring it reaches the farms in a timely manner. The ministry has also prepared a training plan in cooperation with Hassad Food, through which farmers are trained on the best agricultural practices, using training courses, field visits, and on-field workshops.
Umm Salal Winter Festival schedule will star with the ‘Dates exhibition’, which takes place between November 21 and 30, followed by the ‘Traditional Market’ exhibition from December 5 to 14, then the ‘Flowers Exhibition’ from December 19 to 26, 2024.
The exhibitions will continue next year, which will start with the ‘Honey Exhibition’ from January 9 to 18, followed by the ‘Strawberry & Figs Exhibition’ from January 30 to February 8, and finally the festival concludes its exhibition with ‘Kanar Exhibition’ from February 13 to February 19, 2025.
The festival’s operational hours are divided into two periods: the morning period from 9am till 1pm, then evening period from 4pm till 8pm. On Fridays, the festival will be during the evening period only.
Moreover, in collaboration with the Family Empowerment Department at the Ministry of Social Development and Family, Hassad Food has dedicated a prominent space for the “Families of Home-Grown Projects” to showcase their products to the festival visitors throughout the festival’s full duration, with the aim of supporting them and advancing their efforts.
Umm Salal Central Market is one of six integrated markets managed by Aswaq for Food Facilities Management Company (a subsidiary of Hassad Food). The central market spans over 60,000 metre squares, and is located at the intersection of integral highways (Al-Majd and Al-Shamal), which links the market directly to the main ports of Al-Wakra, Al-Ruwais, Al-Khor and Doha.
