Sharjah24: The 5th edition of the Al Dhaid Date Festival will kick off on Thursday at Expo Al Dhaid. The four-day event is being organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) amid the participation of dozens of palm growers from the Emirate of Sharjah and various emirates of the country.

This year's festival is packed with a variety of activities and contests between palm owners and farmers who will display various types of dates of 2021 production.

The festival prizes are ranging from AED 2,000 to 30,000, bringing the total prizes to AED 1.5. This rise in the value of the prizes is attributed to the SCCI's keenness to support palm owners and farmers, develop dates-based local industries, and raise the quality of Emirati products.

This year's edition is witnessing two new categories, one for the local mango and the other for yellow and red figs, in addition to other categories. 

The organising committee set general conditions for entering the competitions, including; the dates must be locally produced, the participant from the northern emirates must provide dates from the production of his farm or garden, the participant from Abu Dhabi and Dubai must provide dates from the production of his farm. All contestants are required to show up their documents upon registration, swear an oath, and visit some farms.

The committee also set the specifications and the competition criteria, including; dates should be ripe and void of insect infestation, dead insects, their eggs, their larvae or their residues, and from any visible defects, or abnormal smell or taste, or be contaminated with metallic or sandy traces such as scars; date size should be suitable and not contain unripe fruits; the weight of dates shouldn't be less than 3 kg in the individual items and to be delivered in "Mekhrafa".

Participants in the main elite category must submit 3 items provided that the quantity shouldn't be less than 3 kg for each item, and not including Khalas, and Khunaizi. The contestant must be satisfied with the decisions of the jury.

The festival opens its doors to visitors daily from 8 am to 10 pm.