Toquilla straw hats made in Ecuador have a shelf in Lulu supermarkets in Doha, as part of the program to introduce Ecuadorian products in that market.

The Ecuadorian ambassador in Qatar, Pascual del Cioppo (i), and directors of the Lulu supermarket chain inaugurated the campaign to promote Ecuadorian hats.

The first shipment was 600 hats and in the second it will be 2,500 with suppliers such as Taytta Hats and Veka Design.

The Ecuadorian ambassador in Qatar, Pascual del Cioppo, together with the regional directorate for the Arabian Gulf of the supermarket chain, inaugurated the campaign that aims to introduce hats manufactured by small and large Ecuadorian artisans, who have process certifications and of quality.

“The idea is to position the toquilla straw hat as a typical Ecuadorian hat, produced by the best artisans in the country, with unmatched quality and affordable for all purchasing power,” said Del Cioppo.

The slogan they want to position is ‘Wear a hat and say yes to the World Cup’, with a view to promoting them during the 2022 Soccer World Cup.

This is part of the More Ecuador in the World program, promoted by the Government of Guillermo Lasso.

The Lulu supermarket chain has 258 stores distributed in 20 countries in the Middle East and India. In the establishment inaugurated last April in Doha, Ecuadorian bananas also arrive, directly from the producers to the final consumer. Agrícola Cañas shipped the first container of Ecuadorian Cavendish bananas on April 25.

Ecuador also manages in Qatar, which will host the World Cup, the opening of a storage warehouse for Ecuadorian agricultural products, also in Doha, so that they can later be distributed in the region. This is discussed with the Qatar Investment and Promotion Agency, which for the Ecuadorian embassy can become the gateway for investments, ventures and expansion of Ecuadorian businesses in the region.

Qatar has a little over 2.5 million inhabitants, the same population as Guayaquil, its gross domestic product (GDP) is twice that of Ecuador, resulting in a population with a real purchasing power of about $130,000 per year per inhabitant, according to data from the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments and Fisheries.

Non-oil exports from Ecuador to Qatar reached $15 million in 2021. The main export products to that market are flowers, bananas and plantains, plants, white goods and fruit. (YO)