Latest news with #datepalm
Arab News
30-07-2025
- General
- Arab News
Saudi dates offer new prospects for agriculture in climate change-hit coastal Bangladesh
DHAKA: When Dihider Zakir Hossain first planted Saudi date palm offshoots in southern Bangladesh, he was not sure they could survive in its poor, saline soil. But six years later, the trees are bearing fruit — offering new hope for farming in a region increasingly affected by climate change. Since the 2000s, the coastal regions of Bangladesh have been heavily affected by soil salinity. One of the main reasons is the changing climate that makes sea levels rise and push seawater into the land, contaminating it with salt. In low-lying Bangladesh, the process is much faster than the global average and in the past few years, many farmers have either lost their land to seawater or are facing difficulties in cultivating it. To make use of his land in the southwestern district of Bagerhat, Hossain decided to take a risk and introduce a new plant. He had seen local varieties grown there before, but those dates were low-quality and a plantation could not be easily expanded as they did not produce offshoots — small, rooted shoots taken from a date palm to grow new trees. Hossain bought the first 40 offshoots of his date palms from Mymensingh district in northern Bangladesh — the first place in Bangladesh where Saudi varieties were ever grown. 'I was inspired to try Saudi date farming after watching videos on YouTube. It's something new in my region,' Hossain told Arab News. He started with Barhi, Sukkari, and Ajwa trees and planted them with some initial guidance from the Mymensingh farmer who sold their offshoots to him. 'The rest I learned through YouTube and a process of trial and error,' he said. 'Monsoon rain poses a major challenge for cultivating Saudi dates here, as ripe fruit can rot when exposed to rainwater. To protect them, I always cover the mature dates with paper bags imported from Thailand.' Six years after planting dates, Hossain has 400 trees in his orchard, of which 80 are already producing fruit. 'On average, I harvest over 3,000 kg of dates a year from the 80 fruit-bearing trees,' he said. 'Seeing my success, many farmers from this region and other parts of the country have become interested in date farming. I've provided offshoots to around 30 farmers.' He believes that planting high-quality Saudi dates in southern Bangladesh could be a good alternative for farmers, as they cannot grow regular crops like paddy or lentils. Local officials also say it could be a viable and commercially feasible option, as farmers can harvest dates from a single tree for several decades. 'Cultivation of regular crops like paddy, wheat, vegetables is very challenging in this southern region of Bangladesh due to high salinity of the soil. The Saudi date varieties are saline tolerant, and date plants grow here easily,' said Waliul Islam, agriculture officer in Bagerhat district. 'It's a new crop for farmers in this region, which may help in our crop diversification … The initial cost of the offshoots and preparing the land is a bit higher, but that will be returned within two to four years when the trees start producing dates. Moreover, the farmers would then be able to sell the offshoots of their date plants to others, which offers another source of income.'
Zawya
26-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Al Dhaid Date Festival empowers productive families with new business and marketing opportunities
Sharjah: The 9th edition of the Al Dhaid Date Festival, the agricultural and commercial annual flagship event organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), continues its vibrant events and activities at Expo Al Dhaid which will run until Sunday, July 27. In line with the UAE's 'Year of Community', this year's edition features strong participation from productive families and home-based businesses, who showcase a wide range of innovative and heritage-inspired products. The festival offers a dynamic platform that highlights the cultural and economic significance of the date palm and supports the commercial endeavours of productive families, thereby promoting their integration into the broader economic and social landscape. The productive families' pavilion drew strong visitor interest, offering a variety of value-added products and traditional crafts derived from the palm tree, including intricately woven baskets and heritage-themed containers. The pavilion also featured popular Emirati traditional dishes such as 'harees' and 'machboos', in addition to locally produced honey, unique Emirati spices, and premium Arabic coffee with its special blends. In his remarks, H.E. Mohammed Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, Director-General of SCCI, said that promoting the involvement of productive families in the Al Dhaid Date Festival aligns with its strategic focus on corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. It also supports the objectives of the UAE's 'Year of Community', aimed at fostering social cohesion and collaboration among all segments of society. One of the featured participants, Khesbah Saeed Mohammed, expressed her keen interest in taking part in the Al Dhaid Date Festival every year to exhibit her line of traditional crafts. She noted that her handmade products, including 'sarod' and 'mahafat', are crafted using inherited techniques taught by her mother. This underscores the role of the festival in preserving and sustaining palm frond crafts and heritage-based skills across generations. Maryam Al Yamahi presents a selection of artisanal products rooted in palm-related crafts, emphasising items like 'makhareef' and 'saf', which resonate with consumers as symbols of Emirati heritage. By incorporating modern design elements, Al Yamahi aims to align these traditional crafts with contemporary tastes and modern touches. She highlighted the festival's role as a strategic platform for productive families, enabling broader market access, supporting increased sales, and fostering business growth and project development. Running daily through Sunday from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm, this year's edition of the Al Dhaid Festival delivers a rich visitor experience centered on dates and seasonal fruits, while continuing to play a vital role in supporting and enabling productive families and homegrown producers. For further information, please contact: - Ali Elgendy Misbar Communications ali@ Ahmad Aldwairi Misbar Communications
