The rising cost of food items in Qatar due to the Arab boycott is taking a toll on everyday life, with severe shortages expected during the coming Eid season. Though the Qatari authorities are putting up a brave front and are denying any food shortage, prices are expected to increase by a further 19 percent. The price of a kilo of chicken, for instance, has already reached QR 30 ever since the boycott. Qatar imports 89.2 of its food needs from the Kingdom and the United Arab Emirate, according to statistics released by Qatar's statistics authority. Its imports from the Kingdom reached SR 600 million in the third quarter of last year. Abdulaziz Al-Yaqout, an agriculture engineer, said he expects food prices in Qatar to rise by two percent every week. Demand is expected to far exceed supply particularly during Eid, he said. Referring to Qatar's food imports from Iran, Al-Yaqout said the quality of Iranian foodstuff is poor. Vegetables and other food products imported from Iran are substandard and expensive. The cost of chicken imported from Turkey and Iran ranges from QR 20 to 30. Qatar produces only 20 percent of its food needs and its locally grown vegetables only meet one percent of its requirements. The price of dairy products has also skyrocketed during the past few days. The price of a liter of locally produced milk reached QR 8.5 while that imported from Turkey ranges between QR 12 and QR 18 riyals, and from Iran between QR 5 and QR 10. The cost of fresh imports is likely to soar as much as 20 percent, with inflation expected to touch record heights.
