A large number of Qatar residents and visitors thronged the Mahaseel Souq at Katara–the Cultural Village’s southern area to buy fresh produce from local vegetable farms and dairies. Some 30 stalls from 22 local farms and six national companies -- specialised in producing and selling dairy products and livestock meat -- offer a wide range of vegetables and fruits, eggs and locally-produced honey and dates.Ornamental plants and flowers on offer also attracted many families, particularly those who have been anticipating the reopening of the souq, which took a short break after its December launch last year. A British couple who were spending their weekend at Katara told Gulf Times that they prefer buying their broccoli, cauliflower, jalapeno, capsicum and cucumber at the Mahaseel Souq.
A variety of ornamental plants attract many shoppersFamilies throng Katara's southern area to buy fresh vegetables, poultry and other locally-produced products.White and brown mushrooms on offer at Mahaseel. PICTURE: Joey Aguilar“The items here are of high quality like imports – fresh and prices are cheaper compared to commercial outlets. Good to see many organic produce from local farms as well,” they said, hoping the event will expand further in its next edition.Mahaseel, organised by Katara in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and Qatari farm owners, serves as an effective marketing platform to showcase and promote premium fresh produce in the country. It will run every weekend (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) until March.Some of the participants include Oryx Mushrooms, which offers white button and brown mushrooms, as well as green leafy vegetables, to its customers. Its produce are grown locally at Eden farm in Doha using state-of-the-art technology. Jerry Smeih, dubbed as “The Family Farm,” sells fresh duck and eggs, free range chicken and eggs, Syrian sheep (Awassi), and sheep milk, as well as vegetables, natural honey and fish.Agrico, which doubled its vegetable production this winter, continues to offer organic and pesticide-free tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicum, chili, and mushrooms, among others. A farm employee said the event helped them a lot in introducing their products to Qatar residents, as orders from many customers surged after taking part in the first edition early last year. “We hope to meet the growing demand for fresh produce here, especially tomatoes and cucumber,” she added. Local farms have been exerting efforts to produce more and support Qatar’s agriculture sector to attain self-sufficiency in the coming years. Apart from fresh produce, Mahaseel is also attracting many visitors due to its wide range of traditional Arabic food and snacks prepared by local families at the venue.Hundreds of students from various schools in Doha took part in several educational workshops and lectures at Mahaseel such as beekeeping and healthy nutrition, and the cultivation of home gardens.