Over 40 tonnes of honey was sold during the 10-day third Souq Waqif Honey Exhibition 2020 which concluded yesterday. Also, dozens of trade deals were signed on the sidelines of the exhibition between the local and foreign companies.
“The Exhibition witnessed great success this year, whether in terms of sales or in terms of number of Qatari and foreign participating companies,” said General Supervisor of Souq Waqif Honey Exhibition, Khalid Saif Al Suwaidi.
He also added that the sales this year increased by over five tonnes compared to last year as in 2019 around 35 tonnes of honey had been sold. “It indicates the success of the exhibition,” said Al Suwaidi.
The 10-day event was organised by the Private Engineering Office (PEO) in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and with the participation of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment. Over 150 companies from 37 countries showcased over 50 varieties of honey in the exhibition.
“The exhibition increased its space this year by 50 percent compared to last year. This year many developments especially the organisation of the event has given Qatar a good reputation. Many Qatari companies signed deals with foreign companies, according to which special types of honey will be imported which are rare and not known in the country,” said Al Suwaidi.
He further pointed out that Qatari companies had proven their competitiveness in the market with their good honey products. “There are rare types of honey which will be imported like Manuka honey, which is available in small quantities. Four companies have signed deals to import Manuka honey from New Zealand. There is also honey from Spain and others that will be imported to the Qatari market.”
Regarding the competitions held during the Exhibition, he said that for local companies, Warathat Ahmed Rashid Al Kuwari won the first place with QR10,000 prize while the second place was won by Mahaseel with QR7,500 prize and Abdul Hamid Al Ansari won the third prize of QR,5000.
As for foreign companies, the first position was won by a company from Belarus while Azerbaijani and Libyan companies secured second and third positions respectively.
The exhibition showcased more than 50 types of honey of which 10 were displayed for the first time in the exhibition. The local companies participated in the event due to superior quality of their honey. For the first time, countries like Sweden, Denmark, and the US participated in the exhibition.
The exhibition also included an Omani laboratory to check the quality of honey. According to the Ministry of Municipality and Environment statistics, Qatar’s production of honey has reached 45 tonnes annually.