* 8 projects to have a total production capacity of 220mn eggs per year
A new initiative by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) and Qatar Development Bank (QDB) is expected to raise the level of self-sufficiency in eggs production from 28% to 65%, an official has said.
The joint initiative includes the establishment of eight medium-sized projects to produce eggs in registered farms, the Qatar News Agency (QNA) has reported citing Abdulaziz al-Zeyara, director of the Animal Wealth Department at the MME.
These eight projects are divided into four projects with an annual production capacity of 22mn eggs each, and another four with a capacity of 33mn eggs each, he said. In total, these projects will have a total annual production capacity of 220mn eggs.
The initiative, aimed at encouraging the production of eggs in Qatari farms, was launched by the MME and QDB on the sidelines of the seventh Qatar International Agriculture Exhibition (AgriteQ) and the first Qatar International Environmental Exhibition (EnviroteQ) at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.
The aim of the initiative is to achieve food security in Qatar, al-Zeyara said at a press conference. Under this, Qatari farmers will be allowed to set up egg production projects within registered farms, financed by QDB, thus contributing to increased egg production and achieving food security.
Al-Zeyara said these projects will be subject to full technical support by specialists at the ministry, adding that the applicants shall be Qatari and own a registered farm free from any irregularities.
The MME official reiterated that the initiative comes in the light of constructive co-operation between the ministry and QDB in order to enhance agricultural production and raise the self-sufficiency ratio for high-value animal products, thus contributing to food security in Qatar.
Khalid Abdulla al-Mana, executive director of Business Finance at QBD, said the initiative is the result of joint efforts between the MME and the bank to ensure self-reliance in the production of this strategic food product, achieve self-sufficiency and reduce the dependence on imports.
He explained that in accordance with QDB’s “ambitious strategy”, the bank seeks to achieve a high percentage of self-sufficiency from various productive sectors, whether industrial or agricultural. The bank "maintains continuous and close co-operation with all ministries and competent authorities in the State to find appropriate and effective mechanisms for the development of all productive sectors in the country, especially projects related to food security", according to the QNA report.
Further, al-Mana stressed that this initiative is the best proof of the bank's keenness to develop all economic sectors in Qatar and to contribute effectively to sustainable development in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.
He added that the launch of the egg initiative in Qatari farms is part of the bank's initiatives and programmes aimed at developing the Qatari private sector, especially the agricultural and livestock sector, which is the main pillar for diversifying the resources of the national economy.
Through this initiative, the bank “aims to encourage Qatari farmers to set up projects to produce eggs within the country's registered farms, reflecting its drive to accelerate the self-sufficiency of animal products in general and table eggs in particular as an important food product”.
He also addressed QDB’s requirements to grant an investor the loan to build his project, calling on all Qatari farm owners to apply to take advantage of this “extraordinary opportunity”.
