The exhibition is in line with the goals of the ‘Comprehensive Plan for Food Security,’ which is a framework for increasing self-sufficiency in Qatar.
The 10th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ) 2023 has kicked off , bringing together 532 international companies, 152 local companies, 104 farms, all in a 29,035 square meter space at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), rendering it the biggest edition of the event.
The exhibition will serve as a strategic forum for exploring potential approaches for the development of Qatar’s agricultural industry, which serves as the foundation for food security and is one of the top strategic priorities for achieving self-sufficiency.
The Ministry of Municipality is hosting the five day event from 15 March to 19 March.
In his inauguration speech, the Minister of Municipality Dr. Abdulla bin Abdulaziz Al Subaie highlighted the recent initiatives undertaken by the country to develop the agricultural sector.
‘Advance food security’
“Currently, the ministry is working in collaboration with some relevant bodies on an initiative to develop agricultural services and implement digital transformation projects in the sector, including digital agriculture and digital farmer communities, which will enhance efficiency and support decision-making for this vital sector.
We are also currently preparing the strategic food security plan for the sector until 2030, which will include targets, development aspects, initiatives, and outputs, and will be shared with the private sector to discuss opportunities for cooperation in implementing these initiatives that will advance food security in the country,” said Dr. Al Subaie.
Fresh produce, honey and dates market
Among its many attractions are FoodteQ, which will showcase the newest food products, a vegetable market with participation from 110 farms, as well as a market for honey and dates.
A related conference will also be held to exchange knowledge, skills and scientific data related to food security, agriculture, livestock and fisheries.
“This edition of the exhibition is considered the biggest ever, with the participation of more than 100 farms, and thats 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 Organising Committee of AgriteQ 2023, Mohammad Ali Al Khouri.
110 local farms are participating in the vegetable market at the exhibition, which will also feature fresh produce.
“The success 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 specialised in gardening,” added Al Khouri.
More than 55 nations are taking part in the exhibition; 30 of them through pavilions, while the remaining are participating through their businesses, embassies and commercial offices in Doha.
This year, AgriteQ also features daily cooking demos in which some of Qatar’s most important and well-known chefs prepare a wide variety of traditional dishes using local ingredients.
The exhibition serves as a crucial introduction to the most recent technological advancements that support the national trend of increasing agricultural production to satisfy local demand for food products. As a result, this edition builds on the success of previousones, which saw a remarkable local and international presence.
