(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Sanaullah Ataullah | The Peninsula
The blockade that completed 100 days has failed in disrupting food supply in the country. This is not only the case with major outlets and shopping centres operating in Doha downtown but groceries and small shops in remote areas.
A small grocery shop operating at Al Murrah suburb was packed with foods and non-food items yesterday. The owner of the grocery shop said that suppliers succeeded in restoring supply and commodities imported from new sources are very close to those came from siege countries. Now we have fresh milk, frozen chicken and eggs from Turkey, variety of vegetables from Iran and a number of fruits from different countries, he added.
Refrigerators of grocery shop were also full with the variety of soft drinks and juices.
With improving shipping services, the stock of suppliers increased and now they have enough commodities, said market players.
'We have enough stock of soft drink and juices to supply to the local market, a supplier said. :We import 40 containers of soft drink and beverage from Oman on every week.
Regarding prices of soft drink, the supplier said that the soft drink witnessed a price hike of only 50 dirham per box.
Major food outlets are also full of food items imported from all over the world and assured the consumers that they need not to worry about the supply.
Lulu Hypermarket has imported 65 tonnes vegetables and banana of different varieties in a chartered flight from India in June.
Mohamed Althaf, Director of Lulu Group International, said: 'Despite the consignments came in cargo flight, the products will not be expensive and new supplies will also help stabilise the prices. Earlier, there was a transit cost attached as products from sourcing countries were coming to Qatar via Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Now everything is coming directly.
'Earlier these things were coming in passenger flights and the amount used to be in the range of 500kg. Now we are not dependent on passenger planes because the quantity is enough to bring from charter cargo flights, he added.
Lulu Hypermarket Group has started import of all categories of fresh milk from world-renowned suppliers of the United Kingdom twice in a week on a regular basis to ensure uninterrupted supply in all their outlets.
The major categories of fresh milk that made available on shelves from prestigious dairy brands such as Graham's, a2 and Countrylife etc. There are sterilised whole cow's milk, skimmed cow's milk, semi-skimmed cow's milk, organic whole cow milk, skimmed organic milk and semi-skimmed organic milk etc. in 1L and 2L containers. All these categories of fresh milk have an average shelf life of 7 days.
In July, the Green Guatemala refrigerated ship coming from the port of Izmir in Turkey has arrived at Hamad Port carrying 3000 tonnes of miscellaneous foodstuffs. This is the first food shipment from Turkey via sea to reach Hamad Port. This shipment was preceded by many other shipments by air cargo. The vessel, carrying dry food, fruits and vegetables, is coming from Izmir port in western Turkey.
Turkey has already sent over 100 planes with food and other products for Qatar but this is the first time a cargo ship berthed at Doha with supplies.
Qatari authority has been assuring consumers about the supply of food in local markets every now and then.
'We can live forever like this, Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told reporters in Doha. He said only 16 percent of Qatar's food imports came through the now-closed land border crossing with Saudi Arabia 'and it has been replaced already.
He said that Iran had told Doha it was ready to help with securing food supplies and that it would designate three of its ports to Qatar but that the offer had not yet been accepted.
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) has reassured Qatar residents on food supply and prices. MEC said that there is no need to worry as there is surplus stock of major food products and prices will be stable as most of them are at fixed rates.
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