QNA
Doha
Minister of Municipality HE Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie inaugurated Qatar’s tenth and biggest edition of the International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ) on Wednesday. The exhibition is taking place from March 15 to 19 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC) with a total of 675 participants from 55 countries.
The exhibition’s inauguration was attended by Minister of Transport HE Jassim bin Saif bin Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al Abdullah Al Thani, Group CEO of Qatar Airways and Chairman of Qatar Tourism Akbar Al Baker, and Chairman of the Central Municipal Council Mohammed bin Hamoud Al Shafi.
In his opening speech, the Minister of Municipality said the launch of the tenth edition of the AgriteQ 2023 is an indication of the importance Qatar attaches to the agricultural sector and food security under the insightful vision and directives of the wise leadership. The exhibition constitutes a key platform to showcase the latest technologies and global innovations in the agricultural field, with the participation of international and local authorities, companies and farms, and in the presence of experts, decision-makers and international institutions for cooperation and exchange of expertise, experiences and distinguished practices in this sector.
He said, “Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Municipality, places great emphasis on the agricultural sector in its various fields and works diligently to support and assist this vital sector to enhance food security and achieve sustainable agricultural development. It is considered one of the most important strategic sectors, and its importance has increased in light of recent regional and international challenges.”
In recent years, the Ministry of Municipality has been keen to provide all aspects of support and assistance to encourage and motivate producers in the agricultural sector as strategic partners in achieving food security, he said. This support provided by the state to the agricultural sector has contributed to achieving a production boom in recent years, represented in increasing self-sufficiency rates of basic food commodities in the State of Qatar, such as: dairy, poultry, vegetables, table eggs, and red meat, he added.
He also highlighted the several qualitative initiatives undertaken by the ministry to develop the agricultural sector.
“One of the most important of these initiatives was the implementation of the Agricultural Census project and conducting of a number of applied and tissue culture research, as well as the initiative to reduce food waste and the initiative to develop laboratories and veterinary quarries by opening quarries at Hamad Port and Ruwais Port and operating the new fish markets in the cities of Al Khor and Al Shamal, as well as expanding 4 fishing ports in Al Wakrah, Al Khor, Al Dhakira and Ruwais, and the initiative to sustain marine fishing and fish farming at the center of the aquatic habitat in Ras Matbakh, as well as developing clusters of farms and studying the impact of treated water on animal feed agriculture, which proved its safety and healthiness.” The premier agriculture exhibition brings together industry experts, researchers, and innovators from around the world to showcase the latest technologies and products in agriculture, horticulture, and animal husbandry.
The event, which runs from March 14 to March 19, offers a unique opportunity for visitors to explore the latest trends, engage with key players in the industry, and discover new solutions to enhance their agricultural practices.
With a focus on sustainable agriculture and food security, AgriteQ is an essential event for anyone involved in the agricultural sector.
The tenth edition features a wide range of exhibitors, including manufacturers of agricultural machinery, companies specializing in crop protection, animal feed producers, and many others. Visitors will have access to the latest products and services related to farming, crop production, irrigation, and animal husbandry.
“This edition of the exhibition is considered the biggest ever, with the participation of more than 100 farms, and that’s the biggest number of farms to gather in Qatar in one place. Additionally, the participation of 532 international companies reflects the size of the market in Qatar,” said Chairman of the Organising Committee of AgriteQ 2023, Mohammad Ali Al Khouri.
“The successes of the past editions of the exhibition have encouraged us at the Ministry of Municipality to host Expo 2023 in Qatar, from October 2023 to March 2024, and is specialized in gardening.”
Minister of Environment and Climate Change HE Dr Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed Al Thani and Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Otar Shamugia signed a Memorandum of Understanding and cooperation aiming to enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of protecting the environment between the government of the State of Qatar and the government of Georgia.
For his part, Director of the Food Security Department Dr Masoud Jarallah Al Marri reviewed the most prominent features of the National Food Security Strategy 2023-2030, and its coincidence with the Qatar National Vision 2030 strategy, stressing the importance of preserving and benefiting from the gains and achievements of the previous strategy, completing the required goals and achieving sustainability.
He pointed out that the national strategy for food security, which will be implemented as of the end of next April, aims to increase agricultural production during the summer season, by adopting modern agricultural techniques, and directing agricultural support aimed at increasing production during this period. He highlighted that the responsibility for food security does not fall on any particular entity, but that it’s the responsibility of all authorities to maintain a strategic reserve and enhance international trade.
For their part, a number of those in charge of the companies and institutions participating in the exhibition stressed the importance of the Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition in being an important strategic platform for exploring new horizons that contribute to the advancement of the agricultural and food sectors, as well as learning about the various modern technologies used in agricultural technology to achieve food security, as it is an important top global priorities, indicating the importance of the exhibition in providing the opportunity for participants to exchange experiences among themselves, and to follow up on the latest developments in this vital sector.
CEO of Agrico said that the company’s aim from participation in AgriteQ is to showcase modern methods and ideas. He said that this year saw focus on food security in terms of fish farming, by developing new technologies that suit Qatar’s climate. He added in remarks to QNA that the Qatari agricultural sector is seeing continued growth, thanks to investment in various modern agricultural techniques, and the support to new agricultural projects that has added value.
