Abu Dhabi Dates Exhibition opens with 95 pavilions from 12 countries

Under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Office, the 12th edition of the Abu Dhabi Dates Exhibition opened on Tuesday, featuring 95 pavilions representing 12 date-producing and processing countries, in addition to an international organisation.

The international participation underscores Abu Dhabi’s growing position as a global platform bringing together the various segments of the date palm and dates value chain.

The exhibition is organised by the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, affiliated with the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation at the Presidential Office, in cooperation with ADNEC Group. It is being held alongside the World Food Week and the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition, creating an integrated platform that brings together producers, processors, exporters, buyers, experts, and providers of agricultural and food technologies and solutions.

The simultaneous events provide an opportunity to strengthen integration between the date palm and dates sector and the wider food ecosystem, while opening new avenues for trade, investment, knowledge exchange and technology transfer. This, in turn, supports product quality and competitiveness and facilitates access to new markets.

Major advances in the date palm and dates sector

Dr Abdul Wahab Al Bukhari Zayed, Secretary-General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, said the exhibition’s 12th edition reflects the significant development witnessed by the date palm and dates sector, as well as Abu Dhabi’s ability to provide an international platform that brings together agricultural expertise, industry, trade and innovation.

He said the exhibition has evolved beyond being simply a showcase for dates and related products to become a professional gathering covering the entire value chain — from agricultural production to processing, packaging, marketing, exports, technologies and innovative solutions.

“This strengthens its role in advancing the sector and enhancing its competitiveness,” he said.

95 pavilions from 12 countries

Dr Al Bukhari added that the participation of 95 pavilions from 12 countries provides producers and companies with an opportunity to showcase their products, explore market trends, exchange expertise and establish new commercial and professional relationships.

It also enables participants to learn about the latest developments in the dates industry and innovative products derived from dates.

The Secretary-General noted that the exhibition’s growing importance comes at a time when the global food sector is undergoing rapid transformations driven by food security, resource efficiency, climate change, agricultural technology and the development of supply chains.

Dr Al Bukhari stressed that the date palm and dates sector has significant opportunities to benefit from agricultural innovation, food processing, the circular economy and advanced technologies. These can help improve production efficiency, reduce waste and maximise the economic value of dates and date palm by-products.

He explained that this approach is aligned with the Award’s mission of moving beyond supporting production alone towards developing an integrated date palm and dates ecosystem that brings together scientific research, innovation, production, processing, marketing, trade and sustainability.

The Secretary-General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation said the progress achieved by the exhibition was made possible by the guidance and support of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Office.

He also highlighted the supervision of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Office for Development Affairs and Martyrs’ Families, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation, as well as the support of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation.

63 international dates festivals, 9 countries

Dr Al Bukhari said that since its establishment, the Award has worked to expand international cooperation in the date palm and dates sector and agricultural innovation through a range of scientific, development and professional programmes.

These initiatives include the organisation of 63 international dates festivals in nine countries, contributing to supporting producers, promoting knowledge exchange and raising awareness of dates and their products in different markets.

He noted that the Abu Dhabi Dates Exhibition represents an extension of this vision, having established itself over 12 editions as an international meeting point for producers, processors, exporters, buyers and stakeholders in the date palm and dates sector.

The Award’s Secretary-General said the ambition for the next phase is to continue developing the exhibition into an even more influential platform that connects knowledge with markets, innovation with production, and local products with international markets.

This, he added, will strengthen the sustainability of the date palm and dates sector and contribute to food security and sustainable agricultural development.

A broad national, Arab and international participation

The 12th edition is witnessing broad national, Arab and international participation, including the United Arab Emirates, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the State of Palestine, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Republic of Tunisia, the United Mexican States, the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Türkiye, in addition to ICARDA.

The diverse participation reflects the exhibition’s expanding geographical reach and provides visitors and specialists with an opportunity to discover different varieties of dates, their processed products, and the processing, packaging and marketing methods used across a number of producing countries.