Sale crosses 92 tonnes at Local Dates Festival

Sale at the ongoing fourth edition of the Local Dates Festival at Souq Waqif crossed 92,000kg on it’s seventh day on Monday, as per the figures released by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME). The event that started on July 23 has received a total of 27,400 visitors on it’s first seven days.

The festival organised by MME and Souq Waqif management is a part of Qatar’s efforts to promote locally grown products and help local farmers find the ideal market for dates. The event is open for public from 4pm to 10pm at Al-Ahmad Square at Souq Waqif until August 3.

As per the MME figures, the festival recorded a sale of 13,723kg dates on the seventh day. On Sunday, 16,000kg dates were sold. There were 4,500 visitors. On Saturday the sale stood at 15,532kg with as many as 5,800 visitors.

On Friday and Thursday, 12,795kg and 12,932kg of dates were sold, respectively and the visitor numbers were 5,000 and 3,500. A total of 10,953kg and 10,752kg dates were sold on Wednesday and Tuesday, respectively with visitor numbers at 2,900 and 2,500.

The organisers this year expect a sale of more than 250 tonnes of dates at the festival. Last year, the festival attracted about 54,000 visitors and sold 205 tonnes of fresh dates worth QR1.7mn.

More than one dozen local varieties are on sale from 85 farms across Qatar in addition to Hassad food company. The festival was attended by 73 farmers in 2018.

The varieties on sale at the festival include Al-Khalas, Al-Shishi, Al-Khenaizi, Al-Barhi, Al-Iraqi and Al-Silji, Al-Saqai, Nabt Saif, Al-Lulu and Al-Razizi.

تواصل إقبال الجمهور على زيارة مهرجان الرطب المحلي الرابع الذي تنظمه وزارة البلدية والبيئة وسوق واقف بساحة الأحمد في سوق واقف.

وقد زار المهرجان في يومه السابع أمس الأول، 3200 زائر من المواطنين والمقيمين والسياح، فيما بلغت حصيلة المبيعات 13 طناً و723 كيلوجراماً من مختلف أصناف الرطب.

ويفتح المهرجان أبوابه للجمهور يومياً من الساعة الرابعة عصراً وحتى العاشرة مساءً بساحة الأحمد، حتى يوم 3أغسطس المقبل. ويهدف المهرجان إلي دعم المنتجات المحلية من الرطب سعياً لتحقيق الاكتفاء الذاتي التي بلغت نسبته 84 % حالياً.

وتوجد أصناف متعددة من الرطب تشمل «الإخلاص – الشيشي – الخنيزي – البرحي»، بالإضافة إلى الأصناف الأخرى مثل: «العراقي – السيلجي – الصقعي- نبت سيف – اللولو – الرزيزي».