DOHA: The Agricultural Affairs Department of the Ministry of Municipality has concluded its initiative to purchase locally grown dates from farm owners, which lasted for three weeks and involved 103 local farmers.
This year, the initiative saw the supply of approximately 850 tons of dates, reflecting the ministry's efforts to support the agricultural sector, enhance local date production, and ensure its sustainability.
The initiative also aims to improve the cultivation of high-quality, economically viable date varieties, which increases farmers' profitability and contributes to strengthening self-sufficiency.
The initiative encourages local farmers to increase their production and sell their produce locally, thus reducing the local market's reliance on imports, in addition to improving local farmers' income and ensuring the sustainability of their farms by providing them with a direct marketing platform.
Moreover, the initiative supports local industries by equipping factories and companies specialized in manufacturing and packaging dates and producing its derivatives such as date syrup, date molasses, and Maamoul, something that boosts the national economy, contributes to sustainable development, and preserves Qatar's agricultural and cultural heritage.