Arabian Business reports that Qatar's Hassad Food expects its first products to hit the world market within a year.

Company chairman, Nasser Mohamed al-Hajri, made the statement on 19 August.

The company, set up last year and owned by Qatar Investment Authority, is charged with ensuring food security in meat, wheat, rice, corn, soy beans, fruits and vegetables for Qatar and the region.

"Our meat (products), for example, are expected to enter the market in a year, while it may take two more years for other items," he said in comments published by Gulf Times.

Mr Al-Hajri said Hassad would soon finalise a deal in Sudan, where a giant project would be announced once the two parties had concluded their talks, the paper reported.

Among the local projects on Hassad's investment list is a poultry farm, which would have an annual capacity of 17 million birds and 120 million eggs which would meet 22 per cent of the local market needs.

The company has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Australian Bydand Pastoral to explore the possibility of buying a farmland with an annual capacity to raise 150,000 cattle and 150,000 tonnes of crops as part of Qatar's food security plan.