Qatar residents were cramming shopping carts with milk, water, rice, eggs and other essential goods at Qatari grocery stores.
Border closure is part of the cutting off of diplomatic ties with the country by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Qatar is accused by its Arab neighbors of backing terrorist groups.
As a desert state, Qatar produces less than ten percent of the food consumed by its people, according to research last year. In 2012, the country imported 99.5 percent of cereals, 83.4 percent of vegetables, 86 percent of fruit, 93.6 percent of meats, 95 percent of beans, and 100 percent of edible oil.
Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that closing the border would not impact normal life. The government pledged “to take all the necessary measures to make certain of that and to thwart attempts to negatively affect Qatari society and economy.”
