Sharjah24: The fourth edition of the Al Dhaid Date Festival, one of the most significant agricultural and cultural events in the UAE, will kick off tomorrow, Thursday, at Expo Al Dhaid, and is slated to run until October 6.
Organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the event will feature extensive participation from date producers, retailers, and farmers and palm owners from across the UAE, alongside key government and private sector representatives.
The festival will begin Thursday morning with a date market, showcasing the finest varieties of dates. A "Best Stuffed Date Dish" competition, exclusively for women, will be held, featuring valuable prizes for dishes made with nuts, fruits, and other natural ingredients.
The official festival activities will start in the evening with a rich program of heritage events, including a premium date auction, anticipated to see wide participation of farmers and palm owners. The festival will also feature pavilions dedicated to date-related products from local productive families engaged in the date industry.
Furthermore, the festival agenda features a series of economic and commercial activities, traditional folk performances, and diverse cultural programs designed to promote knowledge about palm trees and their different varieties and types.
These programs aim to encourage palm farm owners to promote their date cultivation and farming techniques, adopt the best methods and practices for protecting palm trees from pests, enhance product quality, and expand the cultivation of commercially viable varieties, thereby driving agricultural development and supporting food security initiatives.
The Organising Committee of the Al Dhaid Date Festival has outlined a set of specific standards and criteria for participation in the dates’ auctions. The dates must be locally produced in the 2024 season, of premium quality, free from insect infestations or any apparent defects and abnormal smell or taste.
Participants must also provide dates that are only grown in their own farms or homes, with each permitted to bid on up to 60 kilograms per auction, equivalent to 20 boxes.
As for the specific criteria set for the "Best Stuffed Dates Dish" competition, only Emirati women from Sharjah's Central Region, aged 25 and above, are allowed to participate. The dates must be locally produced with the dish weighing no less than 2 kilograms and no more than 3 kilograms.
The 4th edition of Al Dhaid Date Festival, open to visitors daily from 9 AM to 9 PM, provides a platform for local vendors to market their date products and related goods.
It also facilitates the exchange of knowledge and expertise regarding modern agricultural practices and palm tree care and cultivation. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore a diverse selection of premium and commercially viable dates, supporting local businesses and fostering industry growth.
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