Italian food exports to Qatar have quadrupled over the last ten years, up to a record value of €36 million. This is what emerges from an analysis by Italian farmers association Coldiretti, made public on the occasion of an official visit to the Arab emirate by an Italian delegation. The goal was to strengthen cooperation in the fields of agriculture, livestock production, and food distribution. The President of Coldiretti Roberto Moncalvo and the President of Filiera Agricola Italiana (Italian Agricultural Supply chain) Ettore Prandini met the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, the Minister of the Environment Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi, as well as Mohamed bin Ahmed al-Obaidly, member of the Council of the Qatar Chamber, Mohamed Badr Hashem Al Sada, CEO of Hassad Food, and Abdulaziz Nasser Al Yafei, Director of the Port of Hamad.
Cooperation proposals between Italy and Qatar
The meeting was organized with the support of the Italian Embassy in Qatar, of the Italian Ambassador Pasquale Salzano, and of the local office of the Italian Trade Agency. During the visit, Moncalvo proposed joint efforts to establish bilateral investments between Qatari investors working in agriculture and food production and Italian farmers. The aim is to enhance cooperation initiatives all the more important in an international situation where duties and trade barriers are increasing. In the same way, al-Obaidly underlined the importance of the exchange of visits between businessmen and investors from both countries, in order to establish trade alliances and benefit from the favourable investment climate between Qatar and Italy.
