Muscat, The international forum on developing practices for marketing dates kicked off here today under the patronage of Dr. Saud Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources.

The two-day forum highlights the importance of dates and its contribution to food security and improving general health. It also sheds light on aspects of dates production and leading experiences in the field of investing in dates-related converting industries.

Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al Bakri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources for Agriculture, said that organizing this forum stems from the belief in the importance of the palm tree as part of historic heritage and as a strategic and economic crop in the Arab region and the GCC countries.

Al Bakri pointed out that date palm is the top crop in the Sultanate of Oman in terms of numbers and spread. There are approximately 9 million palm trees of 325 varieties. The area cultivated in holdings is estimated at 62,000 feddans, which constitutes 22% of the total cultivated area.

He added that in terms of the total production of dates, Oman ranks second on the GCC level and 8th on the global scale.

Al Bakri explained that the national strategy for the promotion of date palms helped increase date production, reaching 374,000 tons in 2021, constituting a growth rate of 49% for the period from 2005 to 2021.

On his turn, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Habib, Executive Director of the International Dates Council, said that the forum touched on issues related to dates production, marketing and promotion. It also covers benefits of dates for all segments of the value chain, including farmers, manufacturers, marketing agencies, traders, consumers, the national economy, the environment and sustainable development.

Source: Oman News Agency