Qatar will become self-sufficient in milk production by Ramadan time, says Baladna

When the blockade of Qatar began nine months ago, one of the immediate concerns was how the country would cope up with the shortage of milk and milk products.

But Baladna, a local company, thought out of the box and acted fast, flying in thousands of cows from around the world to the country.

And now, the company has confirmed that the Qatari market will become self-sufficient in milk and its products in time for the holy month of Ramadan, according to Al Jazeera.

Moutaz Al Khayyat, chairman of the board of directors for Baladna, said the company is now in a position to fulfil the demand of the local market.

The company expects to increase the production of fresh milk and yoghurt to 500 tonnes a day, which is sufficient for domestic demand, with a surplus of 100 tonnes for export.

Al Khayat said his company was preparing to receive around 3,200 cows, shipped by sea from the USA, within two days time.

“Baladna company, immediately after the blockade, had imported 4,000 cows from the United States and Europe. The new number of cows represents a significant step towards a more sustainable and productive growth phase and will help us meet the market demands of high quality fresh dairy products,” Al Khayyat was quoted as saying by The Peninsula.

Qatar had earlier relied mainly on dairy product imports from Saudi Arabia with 400 tonnes of milk and yoghurt imported daily.

“We’ll be exporting after self-sufficiency in dairy products in Qatar,” Al Khayyat said.

Peter Weltevreden, Chief Executive of Baladna, said Baladna’s farm was equipped to comfortably house 2“After the arrival of the new number of cows, production will increase to about 200 tons of fresh milk daily,” he said.

By 2019, the farm will function to full capacity. 

“In May 2018, 3,200 cows will arrive and in November of the same year 3,000 more,” he added.

The farm includes a milk packaging plant and another plant is planned for the end of 2018.

Every day, many people visit Baladna Farm that includes a zoo, a large park and a restaurant, according to the company’s employees in charge of the farm.