Russia and Qatar Look To Develop Middle East Agri-Industrial Hub

Russia and Qatar are discussing the creation of an agro-industrial hub in Qatar, and work on the project is ongoing, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov has stated. If specific agreements are reached, the initiative could open up new export opportunities for Russian producers. In 2024, exports of meat and edible by-products from Russia to the Middle East grew by more than 50% year-on-year.

The creation of an agro-industrial hub in Qatar could become a new direction of strategic partnership between Russia and the region. The idea of creating a regional Agrohub in Qatar was first presented in March 2025. At that time, Manturov stated that Russia was ready to increase the export of halal agricultural products. The list of goods included beef, poultry, sunflower oil, and confectionery.

The creation of such a logistics and distribution center could significantly simplify access for Russian farmers to Middle Eastern consumer markets, as well as reduce the costs of transporting products. The idea is in the interests of both parties: Russia is looking for new export niches, and Qatar is seeking to diversify food supply sources and strengthen regional logistics chains.

Qatar has unveiled an ambitious National Food Security Strategy 2030, which aims to transform the agricultural sector and ensure the country’s food sovereignty. The roadmap envisages a significant increase in local food production, with plans to achieve 55% self-sufficiency in vegetables and 100% self-sufficiency in dairy and chicken by the end of the decade. It aims to strengthen agricultural productivity and increase resilience to external shocks in the global food supply chain.

In 2024, Qatar’s top food suppliers were the UAE, India, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and the United States. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, the country’s food imports amounted to US$1.2 billion.

Qatar’s advantageous strategic position and active development have allowed Doha to build a diversified and extensive network of agricultural supplies. The agricultural niche is currently not occupied by other Arabic nations, which gives Qatar the opportunity to start without strong resistance from its neighbors, most of whom are instead heavily concentrated on the energy sector.

Russian producers are also increasing their presence in the region. The volume of agricultural exports from Russia to Qatar by the end of 2024 increased by almost 75% compared to the previous year. A similar trend has been noted on a regional scale—the share of grain in the structure of agricultural supplies to the Middle East is at least 2/3 of the total volume. Meat, dairy products, and legumes also appear to be promising export destinations.

In 2024, the export of meat and edible by-products from Russia to the Middle East exceeded 100 thousand tons, an increase of 57% more than the previous year. Every eighth ton of meat exported by Russia was sent to this region.

In 2024, Saudi Arabia became the largest regional buyer of Russian meat products, increasing imports by 66%, to 84,000 tons. It is followed by the UAE, where over 10,000 tons of meat were delivered—an increase of more than 2.3 times. Iran also entered the top three importers.

A potential hub in Qatar could become a logistics bridge between Russian producers and the Gulf countries, where demand for halal and high-quality products continues to grow.