Al Khor
The rapidly expanding road networks in Qatar are helping the agricultural sector in more ways than one.
Besides providing a direct connectivity between markets and farmlands located in the remote areas, several new highways have significantly cut the travel time to Doha.
According the local farmers, the new roads make it easy for them to deliver perishable local winter farm produce like leafy vegetables.
The major highways that opened recently have offered better connectivity to country’s agriculture sector that mainly located in Al Shahaniya, Al Khor, Umm Slal Ali and Abu Samra.
The local vegetables will begin to flow in abundance in the coming days as the harvest season of winter vegetables like tomato, cabbage, verities, pumpkin, cauliflower, eggplant, snake gourd, bitter gourd and peas and leafy vegetables are about to begin.
Speaking to Qatar Tribune, Director of Arab India Vegetable Anil Puthoor said, “Bringing farm-fresh vegetables to customers and retail and wholesale markets is a challenge during the winter as cold-storage vehicles are not in use at that time. So too much time spent on the road affects their freshness. It’s an old story now. Now we can deliver vegetables anywhere in Doha within an hour because of the new roads.”
The Al Majd Road (formerly known as the Orbital Highway), the 195 km longest highway in Qatar, begins in Mesaieed and extends north towards Ras Laffan in Al Khor Municipality connects with many local roads leading to agriculture farms.
At an event held in Doha recently, officials of the Ajaj Farm, “Exploring the ideal weather and the season of cultivation, we expanded our farm manifold. Production of local vegetables like tomato, bottle gourds, eggplants, cucumbers, cabbage, and leafy vegetables has been increased steadily.”
A senior official of Al Khor Agriculture said, “Now, there is no interruption in supply chain as most of the farms are easily connected with all markets with new road network, thanks to Ashghal (Public Works Authority).”
The new roads have also made financial and environmental impact.
“Indeed, the low fuel consumption on smooth roads and less maintenance of vehicles has made financial benefits for both farmers and transportation companies.” Manager of a logistic company said.
