Large turnout expected at agricultural yards during Ramadan

DOha:  General Supervisor of Agricultural Yards at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), Abdul Rahman Al Sulaiti, has expressed hopes that there would be a great turnout at the winter markets during the blessed month of Ramadan.

He said production is still good and working hours will also be suitable. Al Sulaiti said that the winter vegetable markets would continue working during Ramadan on Thursdays and Fridays of each week.

The markets include Al Sheehaniya, Al Mazrouha, Al Wakrah, Al Khor & Al Zakhira, and Al Shamal. Speaking to The Peninsula, Al Sulaiti stressed that the working hours in the blessed month of Ramadan would start from 7pm until 11pm to allow visitors to buy their needs from vegetables.

The markets offer various types of vegetables, including cucumber, tomato, zucchini, eggplant and different types of leafy vegetables. They serve as a platform for farmers to sell their products directly to the customers without intermediaries.

The products come to the customers straight from the local farms at attractive prices, which consider one of the advantages of winter markets. “What distinguished the winter markets is that the prices are affordable and that the products are also fresh compared to imported ones.”

Al Sulaiti explained that there is increasing awareness of the importance of the local product compared to the imported one, especially in terms of quality. “The mentality that everything imported is better is starting to change. People have realized the importance of supporting local products,” he emphasized.

He said that the price ranges between QR4 to QR10 for various vegetables, as the prices often do not exceed QR10 according to box size. Some of them contain 6 kg and some 2.5kg to 3kg. He also praised the success of the winter markets’ experience throughout the past years. Its distinction is the best outlet for selling local vegetables, as the vegetables offered in winter markets are of high quality in light of an advanced marketing method.

The preventive measures are applied to visitors while shopping in the winter markets, such as measuring the temperature, wearing masks, and green Ehteraz status.