Organic food lovers throng Mahaseel Fest venue at Katara Cultural Village

If you pass by the southern end of the Katara Cultural Village on a weekend, then you are likely to see a large number of people throng an area filled with agricultural produce.

It is the inaugural edition of the Mahaseel Festival, hosted by the Katara Cultural Village and the Agricultural Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment.

The event, which started on January 7, will continue every weekend until April 30.

Many farms from around the country are actively participating in the event and they say footfall has increased significantly recently. They also certify that there has been a growing demand for organic produce.

A vendor from a Qatari farm said many residents and visitors were always on the lookout for organic products.

“They always ask us if the items we sell are organic. If our answer is no, then they leave and go to other stalls. So we’ve opted to produce more organic produce in the future. There’s an increasing demand for organic products,” he told Gulf Times.

The festival is choke filled with a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, ornamental plants, and other local agricultural products. There are also organically produced tomatoes, cucumbers, string beans, mushrooms, broccoli, capsicum, chilli and lettuce, among others.

Another vendor was quoted as saying that though there is huge demand, produce could not be made available immediately.

“A part of our plan is to increase our organic vegetables, but in a gradual fashion. We cannot produce everything in bulk, instantly” he said.

There are also stalls selling snacks and a variety of home-made dishes, fresh meat, perfumes, clothes, and some non-food items.

According to Katara’s official website, the Mahaseel Festival was born out of the organisation’s keenness to extend its support to local enterprises, including various agricultural and live-stock producers.

The festival has 22 sales outlets and 12 mobile vending vehicles.

Here are some promotional materials the organisers have been posting on Twitter. Some members of the publioc also tweeted inages of the event.

Sideline activities of #Katara Mahaseel #Festival
For more Inquiry Tel: 182 pic.twitter.com/p9Lkhn7QJ6

— كتارا | Katara (@kataraqatar) January 7, 2017

Make sure to come today for the Mahaseel Festival at the @kataraqatar from 8am- 9pm & see Qatar's products from its own soil.@VisitQatar pic.twitter.com/dwdKgYgAm1

— Mega Cervantes (@Mega_Amihan) January 6, 2017

Students rush to inaugural Mahaseel Festival https://t.co/bfv8VGWfGS pic.twitter.com/HbL5n0izAd

— BoloQatar (@BoloQatar) January 6, 2017

#هل_تعلم؟#سوق_محاصيل#كتارا #كتارا_ملتقى_الثقافات#Do_you_now?
Mahaseel Souq#Katara pic.twitter.com/IKQ7N1j2Tl

— كتارا | Katara (@kataraqatar) January 14, 2017

#هل_تعلم؟#سوق_محاصيل#كتارا #كتارا_ملتقى_الثقافات#Do_you_now?
Mahaseel Souq#Katara pic.twitter.com/3hNfoOD87f

— كتارا | Katara (@kataraqatar) January 12, 2017

Don't miss the opportunity to purchase fresh goods from Souq Mahaseel in #Katara's southern area
Every Thu, Fri, & Sat from 8am-9pm
Inq: 182 pic.twitter.com/gfhnKldxBG

— كتارا | Katara (@kataraqatar) January 17, 2017

Have you been there yet? How was your experience?