Iran Eyes Larger Share of Qatar’s Market

A top Iranian trade official says under the agreements signed between Iran and Qatar, food, fruit and vegetables shipments have left the southern Iranian port city of Bushehr for Qatar.

“That will increase exports from Bushehr,” added the head of the Bushehr Industry, Mines and Trade Office, as quoted by Iran’s Chamber of Commerce.

So far, Iran has sent Qatar six planeloads of perishable foods such as fruit and vegetables, said a spokesperson for Iran’s national flag carrier Iran Air.

The consignments weigh 90 tonnes each, the spokesperson added.

“Four of the planes were Boeing 747 aircraft.”

The foodstuff was sent to Qatar via Tehran and Shiraz airports, the spokesperson noted in a recent interview.

A senior port official also said some 180 tonnes of fruit and vegetables were flown to Qatar, which was the first consignment sent from the Lengeh port in Hormozgan province.

“The shipment, including ten 40-foot fridge containers weighing 180 tonnes, was sent to Qatar from the Lengeh port by a landing craft,” said the director of the Ports and Shipping Department of Hormozgan province.

Another food consignment was also sent to Qatar from the southern city of Shiraz via air.

“100 tonnes of fruit and vegetables are exported to Qatar on a daily basis,” said the head of the Industry, Mines and Trade Office of Fars province.

A top Iranian official in charge of supplying cattle products also said live and slaughtered cattle have been shipped to Qatar.

“A shipment containing 1,700 carcasses of slaughtered sheep has been exported from Iran to Qatar,” said the official.

Another consignment containing 1,250 head of live sheep and one containing 2,700 carcasses of slaughtered sheep have also been sent to Qatar over the past two days, the official added.

Iran has been sending food shipments to Qatar as the country has been facing shortages of food supplies amid a row between Doha and regional Arab states.

Two weeks ago, several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and Libya severed their diplomatic relations with Qatar, which could be an opportunity for Iran to capture Qatar’s market.