UAE: More than 50 varieties of dates on display at Al Dhaid Date Festival

The four-day event ends on July 24

As many as 50 varieties of dates are up on display at Al Dhaid Date Festival where farmers from all across the country have come under one roof to show their best produce.

Several owners of farms have also entered a competition where the best dates – in terms of quality and size – will be rewarded.

Hybrid dates as long as 3 inches in size and one-and-a-half inch in diameter were the highlights at the festival. Sadly, visitors were not able to purchase these varieties at the event, but these products are expected to enter the market soon.

Dates of different sizes from the size of a soyabean to an egg were also on the display at the event. “It takes a lot of effort to cultivate such dates,” said Dr Rashid Mazrooui, a researcher and a palm farming enthusiast.

“The hybrid dates are much more crispier and tastier,” said Dr Mazrooui, who has been into farming for the last 30 years.

Organised by Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the 6th edition of the festival, themed - The Aroma of The Past... The Blossoming Present, will run until July 24 at the Expo Centre.

The inauguration ceremony took place in the presence of Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, chairman, SCCI, Sheikh Majid bin Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi, head of the Department of Suburbs and Villages Affairs in Sharjah, Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, SCCI’s Director-General, and Mohamed Mosbeh Al Tunaiji, the festival's general coordinator.

Al Owais stressed that the UAE is one of the top 10 date-producing countries in the world as well as one of the major exporters of the fruit. “The UAE's date industry makes up about 30 per cent of all import and export activity in the nation's international trade,”

Hundreds of visitors flocked to the festival on the very first day to view the finest dates. Some of them also purchased local handicrafts made from palm fronds.

Kamrul Hussain, who has participated in all editions of the festival said that visitors will get to see the best quality of dates at the event. “We are selling 8eight varieties of dates today and the number of varieties will be increased in coming days. We witnessed a huge turnout in the previous editions, and we are expecting much higher numbers this year,” said Hussain.

Hussain sells nearly 200 kg of dates at the festival. "The best preferred variety is Khalas and Khanizi,” he added.

According to him, residents can purchase top quality dates at very cheap prices.

A large number of date growers and farm owners are also keen to take part in the competition, where 145 lucky winners from six categories will get a chance to take home cash prizes totalling Dh1 million.

The categories at the competition include Rutab beauty, largest date branch, best lemons, fig contest, Al Heseel date contest, and most beautiful date basket (only for women). Each category offers winners cash prizes between Dh1,000 and Dh25,000.

The event is running daily from 8am to 10pm. It will end on July 24.

• Sharjah