(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Nakheel (Palms) Exhibition, which provides a glimpse into the date palm industry as a vital element of the county's agricultural sector, is attracting huge crowds at the Mahaseel (Harvest) Festival at the Cultural Village-Katara.
One of the highlights of the festival, the exhibition offers informative display of date palm including the process of planting and the phases of growth of the tree, the date fruit's health benefits and the various food items made from it, and traditional crafts and industries linked to date palm.
The date palm industry is a vital component of the country's agricultural sector which the government accords great importance through some initiatives.
' Half of around 1,300 registered farms in the country grow date palms. Between 200 to 300 of these farms cultivate excellent date varieties such as shishi, khanizi and khalas-one of the best in Qatar, said Dr Emad Hussain Al Turaihi, agricultural expert at Agricultural Affairs Department of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the festival, Dr Al Turaihi, a date palm expert, said good varieties of date palms have been developed in Qatar and are being grown in local farms.
Dr Al Turaihi, who hails from Iraq known for its long history of date palm production, has brought his expertise to Qatar working in the ministry for 25 years. His book 'Pests and Diseases of Date Palm in Qatar, which was 25 years in the making, is a thorough study of various threats to local date palms.
He mentions in his book that there are between 70 to 80 varieties of date palm which are present in Qatar, some of which came from other countries but only the best varieties are cultivated by local farms which the government buys at subsidized price.
Aside from government subsidies, the Ministry has a number of initiatives to support date palm farmers including the Fresh Local Dates Festival, whose recent edition had sold over 60 tonnes of dates to more than 55,000 visitors during its 18-day run at Souq Waqif.
Dr Al Turaihi further stressed the significance of sustaining the industry as date palms are suitable in Qatar and the region since they can be grown anywhere in any season.
Mahaseel Festival is organised by Katara in collaboration with the Agricultural Affairs Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment to support Qatari farmers and promote local produce which are sold directly to consumers at low prices.
Located in the southern area of Katara, the festival is open from 8am to 9pm today and from 8am to 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays until the end of April.
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