Doha, 01 April 2021 (Qatar Tribune)

By Ashraf Siddiqui

While travelling has been at a minimum, if not at complete halt, across all regions in the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment of Qatar still managed to organise the 8th edition of AgriteQ 2021 and the 2nd Qatar International Environmental Exhibitions (EnviroteQ) from March 23-27, at the Doha Exhibition and Conference Center.

On the last day of exhibitions, Minister of Municipality and Environment HE Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie presented appreciation awards to a number of farms owners and sponsors. The ministry also announced that the 9th edition of AgriteQ exhibition would be held from March 22-26, 2022.
At the currently held exhibitions, as many as 150 agreements and MoUs were signed during the five days between various parties, both local and international. also, 14 agreements were signed between the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and the private sector.

The main objective of the agreements included joint research programmes, and self-sufficiency in the country’s food security and agriculture sector.
Talking to Qatar Tribune, Mohammed Ali Al Khoory, chairman of the organising committee of AgriteQ, who is also director, Public Works Department, praised the visitors and the participants for following the COVID-19 precautionary measures.

He said both the exhibitions saw world-class local agriculture produce and the highest level of quality control measures adopted in Qatar.
Around 200 local and international companies from 42 countries participated in the expo, he said, adding that a number of papers were presented by experts on three days of webinars attended by some 1,200 participants from various regions of the world.

A number of Qatar-based embassies from various regions displayed their services and products. Qatar Tribune talked to some of them at the 8th AgriteQ 2021 venue about their participation and their reaction.

Ambassador of Mexico to Qatar HE Graciela Gomez Garcia expressed her appreciation of Minister of Municipality and Environment HE Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Subaie and his team for the extraordinary efforts that made it possible to successfully host the AGRITEQ trade fair 2021.

The Mexican ambassador said she was impressed with the organisers and the presence of top Qatari companies that are contributing to the food security strategy in a way that is both sustainable and environmental-friendly.

She said it was an honour for Mexico to participate in an event that has been evolving year by year and has become a regional benchmark in the field of technology focused on agriculture, livestock and food for human consumption. “The participation of the Embassy of Mexico ratifies its commitment to actively showcasing the quality and diversity of our companies and exportable products that are highly competitive internationally. It also gave us the opportunity to highlight the wide range of investment opportunities and joint-ventures for Mexico and Qatar in the agriculture sector,” she noted.

The envoy added, “At this edition, we presented three high-level Mexican firms: ProAgro, focused on high-end forage and seeds for alfalfa and hay; SunnyFoods, a company specialised in dehydrated products for consumption as part of a balanced and healthy diet; and Jalcommerce & Global Business Consulting - partnered for trading purposes, IT services, and specialised talent consulting, which for this occasion introduced innovative products for the hospitality industry such as frozen avocado and berries in various presentations, packaged with the highest international manufacturing standards.”

She said all of these products are worthy representatives of the richness and varieties of the Mexican export industry that is appreciated worldwide for quality and flavor. “By introducing them in AgriteQ-2021, the Embassy carries out part of its commercial diplomacy commitment to bringing Mexico and Qatar closer as an entry platform to the Middle East market”.

Ambassador of Panama to Qatar HE Musa Asvat said the Embassy of Panama participated in AgriteQ this year along with 30 other embassies, Commercial Agencies and Business Councils. He said, “The exhibition provided a favourable climate for the promotion of Panama and expose to visitors the opportunities that our country offers.”

He said the five-day expo was ideal for specialists from the international agricultural industry of Qatar to exchange knowledge and discover trends so that this event was used to explore business opportunities in this vital sector. “Panama is the gateway to the east in the Americas thanks to our solid platform for maritime transport, logistics and financial services, coupled with excellent air connectivity with the region and the world.”

Talking to Qatar Tribune, Ambassador of Hungary to Qatar HE Fodor Barnabas said this was the first time that Hungary participated as an exhibitor in AgriteQ.
“We have always visited the previous shows and learnt that it is a great success and an important place for business professionals to meet their prospective partners.”

He added, “In Hungary, we have an advanced and technology-driven agriculture focusing more and more on sustainability. We believe our experience has a great value and is worth sharing. During the recent years, Qatar has reached significant results and development in its agricultural output especially in livestock breeding, diary production, as well as small farming.

“When we talk about economic cooperation, we see great opportunities in the field of agriculture, especially in the technology supporting agricultural output, and environment protection. We have finalised the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of agriculture and another one on environment protection.”

Romanian Charge D’Affairs to Qatar Miss Lulia Zamfirescu said it was “a most welcoming experience” and praised the openness and friendliness of Qatari partners. She said, “The embassy can only look forward to future editions, also to Expo 2023 Qatar, which we already trust will be of a significant success.”
The envoy praised the efforts and commitment of the government of the State of Qatar and the organisers for making AgriteQ and EnviroteQ happen despite the challenges.

“Our gratefulness goes to the State of Qatar for providing yet another opportunity to make our country and its products better known to the local market and a very special thanks to Qatar Airways, which generously co-sponsored the participation of our embassy,” she added.

Pawel Kulaga, Vice President of Qatar-Poland Business Council and a Doha-based Polish businessman, praised the organisers for holding a quality exhibition with a significant number of participating companies in challenging times. He also praised the local business community and the leadership of Qatar for their resilience in meeting Qatar’s food security challenges.

“It was a matter of satisfaction and of great appreciation witnessing a good number and high-quality agriculture produce in Qatar.”

He said that Poland-Qatar cooperation in the agriculture sector, and especially in technology, could further help the State of Qatar in achieving sustainability in its food sector.