Local date palm farmers are expanding cultivated areas and increasing the production capacity for fresh and dried dates as demand for locally grown produce continues to rise.
Several farmers noted that the country’s self-sufficiency rate in dates currently stands at around 75%, with further expansion expected to raise domestic production in the coming years.
The expansion is being driven by growing consumer demand, changing preferences and increasing interest in new date varieties.
Farmers often focus on high-quality varieties suited to Qatar’s climate, while improving cultivation practices and productivity to strengthen the competitiveness of locally produced dates and eventually create export opportunities.
This trend was displayed at the latest Local Dates Festival, which recently concluded at the Eastern Square of Souq Waqif.
According to the Ministry of Municipality, the festival attracted around 110,000 visitors, while total sales of fresh dates reached 183,268kg.
Khalas dates accounted for the largest share at 78,194kg, followed by Shishi at 34,673kg, Khenaizi at 34,336kg and Barhi at 22,404kg.
Sales of other varieties amounted to 13,661kg.
Farm owner Ali al-Henzab said that the successful local dates season and strong demand for Qatari produce were encouraging farmers to expand date-palm cultivation.
His farm currently has around 1,000 date palms and is preparing to plant 600 new offshoots, comprising 200 Khalas, 200 Shishi, and 200 Rziz.
Al-Henzab said the farm had begun establishing a third line of date palms, with particular attention to selecting varieties that combine high quality with suitability for local environmental conditions.
The farm had previously replaced around 200 less productive palms with higher-yielding varieties.
He stressed that expansion was not just about increasing the number of trees, as it involved careful selection of varieties and improvements in production quality.
Using offshoots taken from high-quality mother palms, al-Henzab said, generally produces better results than growing palms from seeds.
Selecting varieties suited to local conditions can also reduce maintenance and harvesting costs, while shorter palms are easier to manage and harvest.
Al-Henzab identified water salinity, soil conditions and the local climate among the main challenges facing date growers, but said farmers were addressing these issues through appropriate agricultural practices and technical support.
He also highlighted the importance of managing fruit loads by reducing the number of bunches when necessary so that the remaining fruit receives adequate nutrients and develops to a higher quality.
Yousef al-Taher, owner of a date palm farm, said government support for the agricultural sector has been encouraging farmers to expand cultivation and raise production.
He noted that support includes agricultural inputs as well as initiatives to promote and purchase locally produced agricultural commodities.
Al-Taher said he had planted around 300 new date-palm offshoots during the past year, to increase his farm’s output and contribute to national production.
He stressed that the quality would become increasingly important as farmers compete for consumers, particularly given the limited availability of agricultural land and rising cultivation and production costs.
He also called for greater attention to developing external markets for Qatari dates, saying that participation in international exhibitions and access to overseas markets could provide farmers with an additional incentive to expand production and improve product quality.
Fellow date palm farm owner Hamad al-Kuwari said growers have been increasingly introducing new varieties alongside traditional ones in response to changing consumer tastes.
His farm is expanding cultivation of varieties including Helwa Dubai, Barhi, Medjool and Umm Al Dahan, in addition to other varieties that attracted strong interest during the Local Dates Festival.
Further, al-Kuwari expects local farms to cover around 85% of domestic demand for fresh and dried dates next year, with full self-sufficiency potentially achievable within three years if expansion continues and productivity improves.
The expansion of date-palm cultivation forms part of Qatar’s broader efforts to strengthen domestic agricultural production and food security.
Government agricultural programmes have increasingly focused on supporting local farmers through production inputs, technical assistance, marketing initiatives and platforms that connect producers directly with consumers.