The 10th edition of the Al Dhaid Date Festival, organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) at Expo Al Dhaid, sees strong attendance from visitors, farmers, and home-based businesses from across the UAE.
Running from 23 to 26 July, this year’s festival showcases an impressive variety of locally grown dates, alongside traditional and agricultural products, celebrating not only the season’s finest dates but also a decade of empowering farmers and preserving the UAE’s date palm heritage, thereby strengthening the sustainability and competitiveness of the agricultural sector.
This year’s edition brings together long-established traditional farms with decades of expertise, innovative agricultural enterprises, and specialised nurseries producing premium-quality date palm offshoots. The festival also provides a platform for productive families to showcase heritage-inspired products crafted from date palm materials, highlighting the economic and cultural value of these traditional industries.
These diverse participants demonstrate the continued dynamism of the UAE’s agricultural sector and reinforce the festival’s growing appeal as a leading platform for agricultural innovation and heritage preservation.
Participants emphasised that the Al Dhaid Date Festival has evolved into an important platform for knowledge exchange among farmers, promoting new date varieties, and creating new marketing opportunities for local producers.
They noted that the festival also provides visitors with valuable insight into the continued development of the UAE’s date palm cultivation sector and its related industries, supporting the sustainability of the agricultural sector while reinforcing its economic contribution and strengthening public awareness of its strategic importance.
Khalfan Saeed Ayish, a farmer from Shawka in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, said his participation in the 10th Al Dhaid Date Festival includes showcasing a selection of locally grown fresh date varieties, notably Ikhlas, Shishi, and Umm Al Dahan.
Ayish noted that he has been taking part in date festivals across the UAE for nearly 18 years. He added that his farm contains between 600 and 700 date palms of different ages and revealed the emergence of a new large-sized date variety this season.
Farmer Abdullah Al Mazrouei, from Wadi Al Safni in Ras Al Khaimah, said date palm cultivation in the UAE has witnessed significant development in recent years with the introduction of new varieties alongside traditional ones. He noted that farmers are now cultivating a diverse range of varieties, including Ikhlas, Shishi, Anbara, Ayasha, Sultana, Saqei, and Zamli, in addition to several rare cultivars.
Al Mazrouei revealed that he is currently developing a new variety known as Halwat Dubai, which he described as highly promising. While the cultivar has not yet reached the production stage required for competition in this year’s festival, he expressed optimism about presenting it in future editions as part of ongoing efforts to expand and enhance the diversity of locally cultivated date varieties.
Dr Mohammed Ali Al Baloushi said his participation in the festival underscores the importance of preserving indigenous date palm varieties while embracing agricultural innovation. He explained that his farm in Al Ain is home to more than 400 date palms representing numerous cultivars, in addition to newly developed varieties produced through laboratory breeding programmes.
He added that his participation is centred on promoting locally produced dates and showcasing a selection of date-based value-added products. Dr Al Baloushi also praised the festival’s role in supporting farmers, facilitating the exchange of expertise, and strengthening collaboration across the agricultural sector.
Moza Juma Mohammed Al Yamahi, founder of the Bint Al Dar project from Al Tawayyeen village in the Emirate of Fujairah, said she has participated in the Al Dhaid Date Festival for approximately seven consecutive years. She noted that each edition has witnessed continuous progress in terms of organisation and the scale of participation.
Al Yamahi mentioned that her participation includes showcasing traditional makhareef baskets used in fresh date harvesting and date beauty competitions, alongside a collection of heritage handicrafts crafted from date palm fronds, including baskets and handbags.
Attached Photos: During the 10th edition of the Al Dhaid Date Festival
