By Nada Fahad Al Baker
DOHA: Three tonnes of dates were sold on the opening day of Local Dates Festival 2016 at Souq Waqif, organisers said yesterday.
According to the official Twitter account of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, 2,000 boxes (three tonnes) were sold on the first day of the 18-day festival. “Eighteen farms are participating in the festival and the number could rise if demand increases,” Yousef Al Khulaifi, Director, Agricultural Affairs Department at the ministry, told The Peninsula.
Al Khulaifi said the most popular varieties of dates available are Khalas, Khanizi, Shishi, Barhi and Arziz.
There are also other varieties grown by local farms but they are rare and farmers don’t want to sell them, he added.
The festival is also offering seedlings and 79 were sold on the first day. The seedlings are offered at a very low price.
One seedling is sold for QR85 while it costs in the market between QR230 and QR250. A citizen is allowed to purchase only maximum five. “The reason for offering seedlings to citizens at such a good price aims at boosting date production by encouraging them to plant the seedlings on their own,” stressed Al Khulaifi.
The seedlings sold have improved features — they are produced from plant tissue culture, resistant to diseases and are of good qualities, he said.
In a survey by the ministry in its Twitter account, 61 percent of followers agreed that this year’s festival is a very good initiative, 18 percent said ‘good’ and 21 percent said it is fair.
The followers said the festival had come at the best time, and Souq Waqif as the venue was an excellent choice. One of the most visited tourist spots in Doha, Souq Waqif offers the festival an excellent platform to bring it closer to a bigger audience.
This year’s festival has been extended by three days from the previous 15-day edition. The festival until August 14 is open from 4pm to 10pm.
