All Photos by Hana Ramadan / The Peninsula
Doha: The 11th Local Dates Exhibition at Souq Waqif has drawn around 38,000 visitors during its first six days, reflecting strong public interest in Qatar's locally grown produce.
The exhibition recorded sales of approximately 76,500kg until Friday across a diverse range of locally cultivated date varieties, said Ahmed Salem Al-Yafei, head of the Agricultural Advisory and Services Section at the Ministry of Municipality.
Speaking to The Peninsula he said that 125 local farms are participating in this year’s exhibition. Alongside premium Qatari dates, a number of farms are also offering seasonal fruits, including figs, bananas, papaya and almonds.
Running until August 10 at Souq Waqif's Eastern Square, the exhibition offers visitors an immersive cultural experience while showcasing the quality and diversity of Qatar's locally produced dates and celebrating the nation's rich date-farming heritage.
Al Yafei said, “The Ministry of Municipality continues to support local farmers by providing a direct marketing platform that enables them to sell their produce to consumers, while also offering logistical support to strengthen the local agricultural sector.”
"We have farmers participating in the exhibition with locally grown fruits such as figs, bananas, papayas, and almonds. Through this initiative, the Ministry of Municipality is providing them with a direct marketing platform to sell their produce, while also offering the logistical support needed to help them reach consumers more effectively,” he added.
Held annually, the Local Dates Exhibition at Souq Waqif has become a key platform for showcasing Qatar's agricultural produce, supporting local farmers, and encouraging consumers to purchase locally grown products.
This year’s event features 114 varieties of locally grown dates, such as ‘Khalas’, ‘Khunaizi’, 'Barhi’ and ‘Shishi’ among the most popular varieties available, an official told The Peninsula.
He added that all dates and fruits showcased at the exhibition are locally produced. To ensure fair trading, prices have been fixed across the exhibition, with all participating farms required to follow the approved pricing system.
The 11th Local Dates Exhibition at Souq Waqif is open from 4p m to 9pm Sunday through Thursday, with extended hours from 4pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
