The festival, continuing until August 3, offers local varieties of dates at cheaper prices than open market. Pic: Rajan Vadakkemuriyil/The peninsula
Doha, Qatar: 9th Local Fresh Dates Festival 2024, featuring 110 farms, opened at Eastern Yard of Souq Waqif yesterday, offering varieties of popular fresh dates at attractive prices.
The festival is showcasing high quality fresh dates from local farms like Khalas, Shishi, Sukkari, Khanizi, Barhi, Nabt Sayf, Lulu, Raziz and many more.
The 12-day event from July 23 to August 3, 2024, is being organised by Souq Waqif Management in cooperation with the Agricultural Affairs Department of the Ministry of Municipality.
The festival is open to public daily from 4pm to 9pm and on Friday until 10pm. Other seasonal products including almonds and figs will be displayed on Thursday to attract more visitors.
The opening ceremony was attended by Director of Souq Waqif, Mohammed Abdullah Al Salem and from the Ministry of Municipality, Director of the Agricultural Affairs Department Yousef Khaled Al Khulaifi, Assistant Director of Agricultural Affairs Department Adil Al Kaldi Al Yafai and Head of Agricultural Guidance and Services Section at Agricultural Affairs Department, Ahmed Salem Al Yafei.
Director of the Agricultural Affairs Department of the Ministry of Municipality, Yousef Khaled Al Khulaifi, and Head of Agricultural Guidance and Services Section at Agricultural Affairs Department, Ahmed Salem Al Yafei touring the Local Fresh Dates Festival at Souq Waqif yesterday. Pic: Rajan Vadakkemuriyil/The Peninsula
Speaking to the media, the Director of Souq Waqif said the festival is being organised annually to support local farms. It provides a free platform to local farms and encourages them to increase their production, he said.
“The number of farms participating in the festival increased from 35 in the inaugural year to 110 farms this year,” said Al Salem. The Head of Agricultural Guidance and Services Section said the festival offers high quality dates from local farms.
“Prices of fresh dates at the festival are unified and cheaper compared to the other places in the local market,” said Al Yafei.
He said participating farms are provided boxes and festival as a platform to market their products free of cost.
“For the first time the festival will host activity of seasonal fruits on Thursday. About 10 local farms will participate with almonds and figs,” said Al Yafei.
He said last year the festival sold about 220 tonnes of fresh dates and this year it is expected to sell more than this.
The festival is part of the importance that Qatar attaches to supporting and encouraging local production of food including dates.
