Isolated Qatar to fly in 4,000 cows to ensure milk supply

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The biggest bovine airlift in history is about to happen in Qatar.

Since early June, Qatar has been isolated by its neighboring countries. They stopped trade, cut diplomatic ties and blocked all modes of routes getting into the country.

Until then, the 2.3 million people of this wealthy desert nation had been dependent on food imports from those larger Gulf neighbors. Most of the fresh milk and other dairy products came from Saudi Arabia until the sanctions.

The isolation made Mouztaz al-Khayyat, a wealthy Qatari businessman, to buy 4,000 dairy cows from the United States and Australia to ensure there will be enough milk supply in the country. The cost of flying the animals? Eight million US dollars.

Losing friends means losing milk for Qatar. /CGTN Screenshot

With dairy industry experts from Ireland and the United States, grain vendors from China and raw materials suppliers from Italy, this is the biggest ever planned cattle airlift, taking as many as 60 flights for Qatar Airways.

Thousands of laborers are now working around the clock to build temperature and climate controlled sheds for the cows on an expanse of land equal to 90 soccer fields.

The holding company behind this venture, Power International Holding, is already in the dairy business. Its CEO and Vice President Ramez Al Khayyat said “There won’t come a better opportunity for this time for the agriculture industry in Qatar.”

Replacing Saudi Arabia as Qatar’s major dairy provider is expected to increase company revenues ten-fold for Power International Holding. The company’s next phase: Import 10,000 more cows and export dairy goods to global markets.