File picture of Hamad Port used for representation.
Qatar has increased its direct imports of strategic goods from around the world to 97 percent in November compared to 82.8 percent in May, thus the state has managed to access the global markets to meet the demand of local market of high quality goods at competitive prices.
Chairman of the General Customs Authority, Ahmed Abdullah Al Gammal, said that this performance reflects the high ability of the State to protect the Qatari economy from the shortage of supply of goods and meet the market requirements in full coordination with importers, by diversifying sources of high quality imports and at suitable prices from other countries.
The General Customs Authority confirmed that during the past months it has strengthened qualified personnel at seaport and airport to ensure the rapid release of various goods, especially perishable items while at the same time maintaining the safety of society, reported QNA.
He said under the unjust siege the Authority facilitated customs procedures, which contributed to increase the ability of local companies to diversify the sources of direct imports. In terms of food commodities, the State has managed in the past months to cover the local market of these commodities significantly at competitive prices and high quality and variety compared with items that were imported from the siege countries.
He stressed that the customs facilities for the import of food commodities and the availability of suitable alternatives and the permanent and direct coordination with importers and partners from government departments have contributed significantly to the stability of food prices.
Regarding the imports of building materials, he pointed out that the competent authorities in the country provided suitable alternatives both in terms of prices or quantities in a manner that led to stability of prices and availability of quantities in the local market, thus avoiding negative effects in case of lower quantities offered.
The Chairman of the General Customs Authority, Ahmed Abdullah Al Gammal, pointed to the decrease in the percentage of imports of building materials from the siege countries’ markets and the entry of new products from other countries to the local markets and the opening of local companies to the international markets and direct import.
This has led to the continuation of all State projects and World Cup projects and infrastructure at the same pace, demonstrating the ability of the State and the flexibility of its procedures , which reflected positively on the stability and availability of these commodities. He said according to the planning and cooperation between the various governmental and quasi-governmental bodies, enhancing private sector presence, competition and improving the investment climate, gradual distribution of the concentration ratios was adopted in favour of high-quality countries with the aim of achieving cost to the lowest possible level and increasing returns to the highest level in the analysis of revenue and cost.
Regarding medicines, he said that the medicines imported by Qatar from the siege countries have no effect on the local market. Suppliers were able to provide suitable alternatives without affecting the change in the prices of these commodities and the health requirements of the individual and society.
Ahmed Issa Al Mohannadi, Assistant Head of the Customs Authority, said that the Department provided all information related to the alternative countries of the siege countries, from which the goods can be imported and according to quantities needed by the Qatari market at reasonable prices. He stressed that the General Authority for Customs has studied the impact of the drop in goods imported from the siege countries on the domestic market, where the proposals were raised with the necessary alternatives to ensure the stability of the Qatari national economy.
