DOHA: The first edition of the Umm Salal Winter Festival kicked off on Thursday to support local products with the participation of farms and factories, under the auspices of the Ministry of Municipality, represented by the Agricultural Affairs Department, and in cooperation with Hassad Food Company, at Umm Salal Central Market.
The first activities of the festival began with the "Dates Exhibition," which featured the participation of 14 farms and three factories. Its activities will run until Nov. 30.
Chief of Communication and Commercial Affairs Officer at Hassad Food Rashid Al Sahuti said that the first edition of Umm Salal Winter Festival aims to support and market the local products of dates, vegetables, and fruits, focusing on projects of productive families.In remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), he added that this festival is part of Hassad Food's strategy to support food security in the State of Qatar indirectly. He stressed Hassad's keenness to develop the festival in the coming years in terms of increasing the duration of the festival and the diversity of products displayed.
In turn, General Manager of Aswaq Company Mohammed Ghanem Al Kubaisi emphasized that this first festival comes within a series of festivals dedicated to supporting local products in cooperation with the Ministry of Municipality, as it began today with the Dates Festival and will continue to include honey, strawberry, flower, and other products in support of the local product according to Aswaq's strategy.
He added that the festival is devoted to supporting local products and is in line with the strategy of Hassad Food Company, the Ministry of Municipality, and Qatar's plans and strategies regarding supporting and marketing local products. He noted that the Dates Festival saw the participation of 14 farms and three factories.
The festival is scheduled to host a number of significant events and exhibitions from Nov. 21 to Feb.19, which mainly aim to support the local product, by providing a distinctive marketing platform for local producers during the winter season."Umm Salal Winter Festival" schedule starts with the "Dates exhibition," which takes place between No. 21-30, followed by the "Traditional Market exhibition" during the period Dec. 5-14, then the "Flowers Exhibition from Dec. 19-26, 2024. The exhibitions will continue in 2025, which will start with the "Honey Exhibition," from Jan.9-18, followed by the "Strawberry & Figs Exhibition" from Jan. 30 to Feb. 8, and finally the festival concludes its exhibition with "Kanar Exhibition" from Feb. 13-19, 2025.
Moreover, in collaboration with the Family Empowerment Department at the Ministry of Social Development and Family, Hassad Food dedicated a prominent space for the "Families of Home-Grown Projects" to showcase their products to the festival visitors throughout the festivals 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 m2, 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.
The central market includes fish market, auction hall, Al Mazrouaa' yard (a space for fresh produce), private slaughterhouse, shaded barns, vegetables, fruits and dates shops. It also includes meat shops, ice factory, supermarket, mosque and administrative offices.