SHARJAH (WAM)
The 8th edition of the Al Dhaid Date Festival will kick off tomorrow at Expo Al Dhaid, running until July 28.
Organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the festival will bring together a significant number of palm farmers from around the UAE, showcasing different varieties and types of dates.
This year’s festival will also feature numerous competitions aimed at encouraging local farmers who have achieved the highest quality in their palm farm production.
Celebrating the cultivation of palm trees, Al Dhaid Date Festival 2024 will offer opportunities for date farmers and suppliers to market their products and forge business deals.
It features a series of main competitions and valuable prizes that will be awarded to 130 winners across various categories.
The eighth edition of the festival introduces a new ‘dates competition’ for children called “Ratb Al Kharaif Beauty," making its debut in the UAE.
Additionally, it marks the debut of the “Rare Dates” competition that is dedicated to agricultural areas in Al Dhaid and the eastern and northern regions.
These contests join other main competitions lined up for the participating farmers, such as “The Most Beautiful Home-grown Dates” (only for women), “Best Lemons,” “Fig Contest,” and other competitions that are expected to see intense competition among participating farmers.
The 2024 edition of the festival will also feature a range of economic and commercial events and activities, performances by folklore bands, competitions and various cultural programmes, designed to promote knowledge about palm trees and their different varieties and types.
The festival seeks to encourage palm farm owners to promote their date cultivation, adopt the best methods for protecting palm trees from pests, enhance product quality, and expand the cultivation of commercial varieties, thereby contributing to advancements in agricultural development and food security.
The festival will commence with the “Khneizi Dates Beauty Contest” and the “Women’s Makhrafa Dates Beauty Contest”, to be followed by the “Al-Khalas Dates Beauty Contest” and the “Red Fig” Competition the next day.
On July 27, the festival will host the “Shishi Dates” and “Local Lemon” Beauty Contests, along with the “Ratb Al Kharaif Beauty” Contest for children, while the last day will feature the “General Elite Dates Beauty Contest” and “Rare Dates” competitions.
The Organising Committee of the Al Dhaid Date Festival has outlined a set of specific standards and criteria for participation in the dates’ competitions.
Participants must present dates that are locally produced in the 2024 season, sourced from the private farms of the participants.