06-6-2017
Availability of food items in the local market will not be affected by the Saudi Arabia-led cutting of ties with Qatar, importers assured Qatar Chamber officials at a meeting held in Doha on Tuesday.
Qatar Chamber called the meeting in response to the boycott, which saw Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain closing their frontiers on land, sea and air to Qatar, warranting the domestic food suppliers to seek alternative arrangements.
The meeting was chaired by Qatar Chamber Chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohamed al Thani, in the presence of Agriculture and Environment Committee head Mohamed bin Ahmed al Obaidli, Qatar Chamber Director General Saleh bin Hamad al Sharqi and a number of businessmen.
At the meeting, the traders said they were in touch with suppliers in several countries to maintain the normal flow of food items into the domestic market, Qatar Chamber said in statement on Tuesday. They will compensate for the stoppage of imports via Saudi, they added.
The importers also pointed out that they have a strategic stock of edible commodities.
Besides, they said, they have activated alternative channels to get food items from other countries, essentially insulating Qatar’s food market from the crisis.
Given the circumstances, the traders also offered to put their stores and food stocks at the disposal of the country.
They said food items were readily available in the market and there was no shortage of any commodity.
All alternative arrangements are available for Qatari importers, they said.
The meeting also discussed the procedural issues and obstacles that may face the Qatari traders in importing foodstuffs. The businessmen stressed the need to solve them with the parties concerned so as not to adversely affect trade. They have also agreed to discuss the obstacles with the parties concerned.
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