The Minister of Commerce and Industry, H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari (third left), with other dignitaries during the Kuala Lumpur 2019 Summit which concluded in the Malaysian capital yesterday.
H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Commerce and Industry, has hailed the role played by Baladna Food Industries in contributing to Qatar’s ambitious food security programme. Addressing a panel discussion on food security at the Kuala Lumpur 2019 Summit, Minister Al Kuwari said the Doha-based dairy production leader contributed to Qatar’s self-sufficiency in terms of dairy products at 100 percent. Baladna Food Industries, Qatar’s largest dairy and beverage producer, is one of the most successful national ventures in the country’s industrial sector, the Minister said.
The Minister noted that Baladna recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Felcra Berhad, which is wholly owned by the Malaysian government, to raise the industrial production capacity of both countries. He also commended the efforts of the governmental and private sectors, which bolstered Qatar’s strategic position in the field of food security as the country ranked first in the Arab world and 22 globally in terms of food growth, according to the latest 2018 World Food Index.
Baladna, which is targeting a 50 percent growth in its revenue in 2020 compared to the year 2019, has previously announced the company’s plans to expand to other Southeast Asian countries and Africa.
As part of expanding its product portfolio, Baladna has also announced it will hit the market with 100 new products within a year. Fifty products will enter the market in the coming two months and other 50 products, including variety of juices and various types of cheese will be introduced in 2020.
During the panel discussion with the theme ‘The Role of Development in Achieving National Sovereignty’, Minister Al Kuwari Qatar has laid the foundations of the National Food Security Strategy 2019-2023 to unite efforts among concerned authorities, optimise the use of the country’s natural and water resources, fortify the food security system against shocks during emergencies, identify priorities in terms of food security initiatives and projects, protect and promote local production, improve food quality and safety and maintain a safe and healthy strategic stock.
The government also boosted partnerships with the private sector, which contributed in the implementation and development of food security projects. It also proposed several projects to investors, especially in the agricultural and industrial fields.
Minister Al Kuwari added that a set of mechanisms have been established to take advantage of Qatar’s advanced infrastructure and strategic location to locally manufacture and produce food and agricultural products among other items, and to export these products into regional and international markets.
Earlier during the summit, the Minister also highlighted the importance of the event, which sheds light on the topic of food security, particularly the restrictions imposed on the export of food commodities, which negatively impact the food security of countries that import these products.
He praised international and regional organisations for their efforts in combating poverty and hunger and supporting food security programmes in developing countries, especially the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which identified four key dimensions for food security, namely availability, access, utilisation and stability.
