Image used for representation.
More consumers in Qatar are switching to local or regional poultry products following controversies over chicken imported from Brazil and the non-availability of several European brands due to avian flu issues, say retailers.
Sales of chicken had dropped marginally following the controversy over some brands of Brazilian chicken but business is going back to normal.
“We had noticed customers refraining from buying chicken, with much hype over the social media on the issue. However, the sales are going back to normal,” said an official at one of the oldest retail chains in the country.
“We also noticed a recent change in the pattern of poultry sales, with local and regional products moving faster over the past few weeks. Already, these products were in demand, but the current issues in different countries in Europe and America has made regional products more favourable,” he said.
Another retailer said that there could be shortage of frozen chicken parts due to import restrictions.
“Importers and retailers have good stock of frozen whole chicken. However, when it comes to frozen chicken sold as parts, most of us do not stock such products in bulk. So the impact could be felt more in this area,” the retailer said.
“There could be some drop in frozen chicken sales, but this change is mostly seasonal,” one of the retailers told The Peninsula.
Products sold only after thorough tests
Meanwhile, imports are returning to normal levels as confidence slowly comes back into the country’s poultry sector. A leading poultry importer said that products arrive in the Qatari market after thorough safety checks and people have trust in the products.
“There was a slight dip in sales, but it was normalised in no time. With the recent media hype, we had expected things to get out of hand, which did not happen,” said an importer.
“The government has placed controls on all imports and so people know that all precautions are taken before the product comes to the market. The regulations are followed completely and all shipments are inspected. In case of any issues, we have to destroy the shipment. The government makes it sure that all the products are 100 percent fit for consumption. So there is no question of unhealthy food in the local market,” the importer said.
