*More than 80 farms participate in the Dates Festival
More than 80 local farms are participating in the 7th Local Dates Festival, opened Wednesday at Souq Waqif in association with the Ministry of Municipality.
A wide variety of fresh dates, including some new ones, are available at the event which runs until August 10 from 3pm to 9pm except for Friday when it is open from 1pm to 10pm.
The launch ceremony was attended by Yousef Khalid al-Khelaifi, director of the agriculture affairs department at the Ministry of Municipality, and Abdulrahman Mohamed al-Nemah, assistant director of administrative and financial affairs at the Private Engineering Office, alongside a number of municipality and Souq Waqif officials.
Al-Khulaifi said that for the first time, the festival includes a limited number of kiosks, displaying and selling locally produced fruits to test the preferences of the people and to study and assess whether the local farmers would be ready to cater for the demand. The fruits on display in this category include lemon, figs, papaya and others.
The official pointed out that the local dates production exceed 82% of the demand and described it as an excellent rate, as the Ministry works hard to improve the quality of local production through various means of support, including subsidies given to the farmers.
Al-Khulaifi said the season takes a lot of preparation for the land and date palms and other operations until the harvest is made once a year. Besides this fresh dates festival, a new edition of the dried and preserved soft dates will be organised in future. A total of 100 dates drying rooms were distributed to the participating farmers to improve the quality of dried dates for the upcoming festivals and events.
The official noted that the Ministry of Municipality has made contracts with Hassad Food Company to give the farmers comprehensive marketing services and help them with all the related issues in addition to involving the related private sector companies to improve the quality of local agriculture products.
Al-Nemah said that Souq Waqif management has provided the participants with all the necessary logistic services in addition to the unique and easily accessible location, which is highly popular among the people. He stressed that Souq Waqif management has been keen to organise this festival to support local farmers, and give them excellent services to market their products.
The organising committee of the festival has urged all the participants and visitors to strictly follow the necessary preventive and precautionary measures against Covid-19.
A wide variety of fresh dates, including some new ones, are available at the event which runs until August 10 from 3pm to 9pm except for Friday when it is open from 1pm to 10pm.
The launch ceremony was attended by Yousef Khalid al-Khelaifi, director of the agriculture affairs department at the Ministry of Municipality, and Abdulrahman Mohamed al-Nemah, assistant director of administrative and financial affairs at the Private Engineering Office, alongside a number of municipality and Souq Waqif officials.
An exterior view of the festival venue.
Al-Khulaifi said that for the first time, the festival includes a limited number of kiosks, displaying and selling locally produced fruits to test the preferences of the people and to study and assess whether the local farmers would be ready to cater for the demand. The fruits on display in this category include lemon, figs, papaya and others.
The official pointed out that the local dates production exceed 82% of the demand and described it as an excellent rate, as the Ministry works hard to improve the quality of local production through various means of support, including subsidies given to the farmers.
Al-Khulaifi said the season takes a lot of preparation for the land and date palms and other operations until the harvest is made once a year. Besides this fresh dates festival, a new edition of the dried and preserved soft dates will be organised in future. A total of 100 dates drying rooms were distributed to the participating farmers to improve the quality of dried dates for the upcoming festivals and events.
PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam
The official noted that the Ministry of Municipality has made contracts with Hassad Food Company to give the farmers comprehensive marketing services and help them with all the related issues in addition to involving the related private sector companies to improve the quality of local agriculture products.
Al-Nemah said that Souq Waqif management has provided the participants with all the necessary logistic services in addition to the unique and easily accessible location, which is highly popular among the people. He stressed that Souq Waqif management has been keen to organise this festival to support local farmers, and give them excellent services to market their products.
The organising committee of the festival has urged all the participants and visitors to strictly follow the necessary preventive and precautionary measures against Covid-19.
