Doha: Qatar's industrial sector is witnessing significant growth, with 1,004 factories currently in operation and a total investment of QR 270 billion, according to Saleh Majed Al Khulaifi, Assistant Undersecretary for Industry and Business Development at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Al Khulaifi shared this information during a ceremony honoring entities that contributed to national initiatives such as National Product Week and other supportive programs during Ramadan and Eid Al Adha.
According to Qatar News Agency, the event also featured Assistant Undersecretary for Consumer Affairs Hassan Sultan Al Ghanem and representatives from participating companies. Al Khulaifi emphasized the goal of empowering the private sector through initiatives like the 1,000 Opportunities initiative, which facilitates local investors' access to investment prospects via the Ministry's digital tools on the Single Window platform. He also outlined the Manufacturing Strategy for 2024-2030, which aims to increase the value added by manufacturing industries to over QR 70.5 billion and boost non-hydrocarbon exports to approximately QR 49 billion.
Al Ghanem highlighted the success of the Ramadan discounted consumer goods list for 1446 AH, which saw participation from 18 retail outlets and resulted in total consumer savings of QAR 5,317,311. He stressed the importance of public-private cooperation in easing economic burdens and maintaining market balance. He also noted that consumer spending during Ramadan reached QAR 47,395,454, indicating strong demand for discounted products.
Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Al Buhashim Al Sayed, Director of the National Product Competitiveness Support Department, expressed pride in the achievements of the National Product Week, citing a 75% surge in sales at some outlets as evidence of growing consumer trust in Qatari products. He announced the launch of a webpage dedicated to Qatari products on the Ministry's official website, aimed at supporting fair competition and reporting industrial obstacles.
The ceremony concluded with a video presentation of the Ministry's key national initiatives and an awards presentation recognizing the contributions of participating entities and companies to economic development.