#MadeInQatar

#‏معا_لدعم_المنتجات_الوطنية

#WeAreQatar

These are some of the trending hashtags which showcase the positives gained from the current blockade of Qatar by some of its Gulf neighbours.

All land, sea and air routes were officially stopped on 5th June during the Holy Month of Ramadan, and yet the nation of Qatar has shown its resilience, and locals and expats alike have shown their support.

There was some early panic from consumers which resulted in panic buying, but through the efforts of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce and various other bodies there has been a stabilising influence on the market with new imports from existing markets, and increased local production at Qatari farms and greenhouses.

Increased imports

Fruits and vegetables from India and Iran have been brought in by air and sea to meet the demand for fresh produce. Imported products include cucumber, tomato, onion, potato, ginger, garlic and pumpkin. And according to The Peninsula the first Turkish cargo vessel carrying dry goods, fruits and vegetables will arrive next month.

One of the more eccentric, and ingenious, moves has been made by a local businessman who has begun to import 4,000 cows to Qatar. At a cost of $8million the cows will be brought in from Australia and the US through air cargo. It is estimated that a third of Qatar’s fresh milk demand will be covered by mid-July through this initiative.

Made in Qatar  #معا_لدعم_المنتجات_الوطنية

Importantly, across the supermarkets and grocery shops there is a local movement to highlight homegrown produce and items Made in Qatar. Walk through your local supermarket and you will find many items labelled with the Qatar flag – a sign that indicates the item is locally produced.

Local meat companies have also increased their output for the home market. The raw product is imported into Qatar, and these local companies put it through their production line making items for consumers. One local company has doubled its output to meet the market needs.

Turkish Groceries Trnalsted

With the introduction of new imported products to the Qatar market there are many interesting grocery options in the marketplace. With more unknown products on the shelf we advise that consumers take a moment to check exactly what the product is, and not to assume that products from other regions are packaged in the same way as previous familiar products.

Consumers purchasing dairy products should learn key Turkish phrases in order to ensure they purchase milk (sut), and not laban (ayran) by accident. A handy translation guide has been provided by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce.

#MadeInQatar (Made in Qatar) brands include:

Rayyan drinking water

Dana water

Korean Bakeries baked goods

Baladna Mart diary products

Napico Tissues

Qataki Company chicken and eggs

Qatar Flour Mills (QFM) flour products

Qatar Pafki snacks

Al Arabia frozen goods

QBake breads

Ocean Fish Smoked Salmon

Qatari Premium tomatoes and vegetables

Pearl detergents products

Dandy fruit juices

Widam meat products

 

Key Points to remember due to the Qatar Blockade:

• Local production has increased.
• Sea and air imports from other parts of the world are not affected.
• Prices have remained stable during the last 2 weeks.
• The government has a strategic plan to ensure the constant supply of goods will be maintained.