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UAE sixth among dates-exporting nations

ABU DHABI — Summer time is dates time! UAE plays a pivotal role in palm cultivation and the country alone accounts for 20 per cent of dates production in the world. In fact, UAE stands sixth among dates-exporting nations.

At the recently-concluded dates exhibition in Liwa, a vast variety of dates were on display. In the UAE, 50 per cent of dates harvest comes from Liwa. According to Rakan Maktoum Al Qobaisi, president of the organising committee of the exhibition, “Liwa, the main centre of palm farming and date production in the UAE, produces 50 per cent of the country’s dates output.”

While pointing out that there are 41 million palm trees in the UAE, Al Qobaisi said, “We want to organise exhibitions twice a year — summer and winter. This way we can focus more on the date production.”

The week-long exhibition had focused on the technology of date production. Date farmers and companies engaged in date farming took part in the event to benefit from the information on the latest technology being used to boost production.

Darwaish Al Fahim, Manager, Marketing Centre in the Municipality and Agriculture Department, Al Ain, said, “This is a heritage of our fathers and forefathers and we feel proud of being part of it.”

According to Al Fahim, “Over 100 kinds of dates are produced in the UAE, the most popular being the ‘Ikhlas’ variety.”

Among the other popular varieties found in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain are majdoul, shishi, khaneezi, khallas, shishi, lulu, halali, jabri, barhi, saqi, fardh, dabbas, faraz, al jurdi and khaskhar. The last four varieties are found only in the UAE.

“Thanks to the modern technology in palm cultivation, we are now able to cultivate 70 saplings from a single plant. We got this technology from the UAE University . We regularly plant new saplings, too,” he said.

• UAE