Qatari man proposes airlift of 4,000 cows

Iran, Turkey flying food into blockaded country

When Saudi Arabia and a number of other major Arab states announced last week that they were cutting diplomatic relations with Qatar, the first reaction of many in the tiny Gulf state was simple: Head to the supermarket. That’s because almost all food products in Qatar are imported, usually across the now-closed land border with Saudi Arabia. The country might be oil-rich, but most of its landmass is desert and unsuitable for agriculture.

As photos of barren supermarket shelves spread online, many feared the worst. But one Qatari businessman has offered a partial solution: Fly in 4,000 cows.

Moutaz Al Khayyat, chairman of Power International Holding, told Bloomberg News that it might take 60 flights to deliver all the cows. “This is the time to work for Qatar,” he told the news agency.

Khayyat had been planning to expand his company’s agricultural business, he told Bloomberg

News.

The plan has now been expedited so that by mid-july he can cover a third of Qatar’s demand for dairy products.

Though the facilities for the cows were already built, Khayyat said the shipping cost for the animals would increase five times to $8 million.

Qatari authorities have repeatedly dismissed concerns about the country’s food supply. Over recent days a social media campaign to show off goods that were made in Qatar has spread online.

Iran and Turkey have flown in food supplies to Qatar over recent days, while the country has launched new shipping routes via Oman.

Some Qataris seem to be extremely grateful. “I will never buy Saudi Arabian and UAE products again,” a Qatari man leaving the Al Meera supermarket told The Post. “I will stay loyal to the people who support us now.”