UAE | Heritage and Culture

Dates from first harvest set to reach top prices

An expert praised the UAE's extensive cultivation of dates during the fourth annual Liwa Festival in the Western Region.

  • By Eman Mohammed, Abu Dhabi Deputy Editor
  • Published: 23:37 July 24, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • There are 40 million date palm trees in the UAE, according to a study by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
  • Image Credit: Abdul Rahman/Gulf News
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Mazirah: An expert praised the UAE's extensive cultivation of dates during the fourth annual Liwa Festival in the Western Region.

Click here to see the 'Liwa Festival' in pictures

Click here to see the different types of dates produced in the UAE (pdf)

Mansour Ebrahim Mansour, head of the date palm development section at the Ministry of Environment and Water, said around 120 types of dates are registered in the UAE.

He said the UAE has so many varieties of dates because the fruit has been cultivated here since ancient times. "When the date season opens in summer [mid July] prices for batches from the first harvest are always high," he said.

Even some low quality dates such as the Ngal type, which are always the first harvest, can reach prices of up to Dh200 per kilogram because they are seen as blessed, said Mohammad Ganem Al Mansouri, director of public relations and marketing for the Al Foa'a Date Company.

During the season the price drops to about Dh10/kg. "One kilogram of Khalas [the best quality date] starts at Dh40 to Dh50, then drops to about Dh20," Al Mansouri said.

Because it is a popular date, one kilogram of Al Dabass dates starts at Dh25, according to Al Mansouri.

In 2004 the Palm Tree Friends Society was established in Al Ain, with an initial membership of 43.

Eman Hussain, a representative of the society, invited people to join. "The society is open to everyone involved in the date palm tree industry, and even lovers of the tree are welcome to join."

"We help farmers improve the quality of their production through scientific methods and support them in case of any crises," she said. The society now has 245 members.

Cultivation: Trees in abundance

  • There are 40 million date palm trees in the UAE, according to a study by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 40 per cent are in Al Ain.
  • Palm trees cover 30 per cent of land allocated for fruit farming.
  • In 2005, date production represented 60 per cent of the total production of fruits and vegetables in the country.

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