Wales to Strengthen Export Links with Qatar

Doha, October 01 (QNA) - The State of Qatar is one of the largest markets in the Middle East for Wales' exports, and one of its top 20 export markets worldwide, making it a key priority market for the governments of Wales and the United Kingdom. In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), the Head of International Business at Food Division in Welsh Government Anne Reynish, said on the sidelines of a high-level delegation visit to Doha that the Division is aiming to double to tenfold its activities in the food and beverage sector in Qatar market over the next 12 months. Reynish added that the volume of Welsh exports to Qatar is 175 million pounds in 2016, most of which are concentrated in various sectors, the most important of which are construction, information technology, etc, stressing that Welsh food and beverage producers are seeking to raise this figure in the coming period. Reynish added that the food sector in Wales targeted 30 percent growth to reach 7 billion pounds by 2020, but it went beyond expectations to reach 6.9 billion pounds in January, the world's share of which was 5.27 billion pounds including the State of Qatar, stressing the commitment of the food division in Wales to export fresh food to the Qatari market, especially after Qatar Airways' launch of daily flight between Doha and Cardiff, the capital of Wales. Reynish stressed that the Welsh trade delegation is the first of its kind to visit Doha, the delegation includes a number of companies that seek to strengthen relations in the field of high quality food and daily food products, adding that she looks forward to meeting producers and distributors to discover the quality of the Welsh food and beverage industry. The Welsh delegation will hold important meetings with a series of suppliers in the State of Qatar to build effective partnerships as part of the government's overall efforts to support Wales' exports, which are vital to the Welsh economy and in view of the UK's willingness to leave the EU, she added. Reynish added that she hopes that this visit will raise awareness about the Welsh dairy product range, open up new markets and develop further relationships with Qatari food companies to other sectors such as oil and gas, construction, IT, consulting, private services, education and more sectors that record fruitful cooperation between the two sides. For her part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cardiff Airport, Debra Barber told QNA that Doha is helping deliver Welsh products to the world through a direct flight of Qatar Airways linking Cardiff and Doha, which provided an opportunity to transport 12 tons of cargo per day in both directions, and this is five months after the opening of the new line, which has transported 700 tons of air cargo since its launch in May, according to data from the General Authority for Aviation in Britain. Barber added that the daily flight, which carries 254 passengers with a significant occupancy rate, has stimulated mutual air cargo, particularly in the food and engineering fields as well as other miscellaneous materials, and the new route opens 150 destinations to Wales around the world through Hamad International Airport, which has the ability to transport passengers easily into different destinations. (QNA)