Over 100 local and international companies from 25 countries are participating in the 5th Souq Waqif International Honey Exhibition 2024. (All photos by Marivie Alabanza / The Peninsula)
UPDATE - February 19: The '5th Souq Waqif International Honey Exhibition' is extended until February 21, 2024.
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Doha, Qatar: The ‘5th Souq Waqif International Honey Exhibition’ started on Saturday, February 10, and will continue until February 19 at Souq Waqif's Eastern Square.
More than 100 local and international companies from 25 countries are participating in the festival, showcasing over 60 types of honey.
Khalid Saif Al Suwaidi, General Supervisor of the 5th Souq Waqif International Honey Exhibition 2024
Khalid Saif Al Suwaidi, the General Supervisor of the exhibition, expressed his anticipation for a significant turnout this year, attributing it partly to the recently concluded Asian Cup tournament, which attracted a large number of visitors to the country.
"Following the football tournament, departing visitors often seek gifts to take back home. Many of them are expected to visit Souq Waqif and explore the assortment of honey available here at the festival," Al Suwaidi told The Peninsula.
"We are also sure that locals and expats will patronise the festival because many residents eagerly await this exhibition to purchase honey due to the wide selection and competitive prices."
Furthermore, he highlighted additional attractions of the event, including a testing lab to determine the quality of the honey exhibited and a booth offering apitherapy services where visitors can learn about alternative medicine utilising honeybee products.
Al Suwaidi also said that an Omani stall will delight visitors with a live cooking demonstration of Oman's most famous dessert, Halwa with honey.
Jorge Sunderland and wife Griselda Kuri from Spain
Jorge Sunderland, owner of a Spanish company participating for the first time, expressed pride in showcasing their honey, emphasizing its exceptional taste and quality derived from the unique environmental conditions of Galicia, Spain.
"As a small producer in Spain, we’re very proud and happy to be included in this popular honey exhibition. Our farm is located close to the shore inside the woods; thus the weather conditions and the particular kind of soil made this honey superb in terms of taste and quality,” Sunderland told The Peninsula.
In another booth, a returning exhibitor from Saudi Arabia welcomes visitors with free tastings of their Mangrove Honey, with jars placed next to a plaque highlighting its accolades from an international honey competition.
Al Suwaidi emphasized that the exhibition serves not only as a business platform but also as an opportunity for the public to explore and taste honey variants from various countries across five continents— South America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Africa.
Notable honey varieties showcased at the exhibition include Sidr, Acacia, Mangrove, Manuka, Lavender, Talh, Thyme, Majra, Athel, Samra, and White Honey.
The exhibition is open to the public from Saturday to Thursday, with timings from 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 9pm, and on Fridays from 3pm to 9pm. Admission is free.
