Doha, June 29 (QNA) - Early signs of the domestic rutab (semi-ripe date) season are starting to emerge, as farmers are sanguine over the outlook for a strong harvest this year.

The season is one of the most consequential agricultural periods in Qatar and across the Gulf, closely tied to cultural and social traditions, as dates hold a central place in Qatari homes and majlis gatherings during the summer months, where they are a staple presence across households and communities.

This season in Qatar usually starts at the end of July annually, with production reaching its peak during July. There is variation in the timing of early signs from one farm to another, depending on the variety, farm location, and growing conditions.

Production of some cultivars extends into October, ensuring a steady supply of fresh rutab to markets throughout the summer and beyond.

The homegrown farms abound with a broad range of date cultivars, where the number of homegrown cultivars exceeds 20, each one of them being characterized by its own flavor, appearance, and ripening time, with variation in timing across farms depending on the cultivar, farm location, and growing conditions.

Among the foremost cultivars is Khalas, which is widely consumed and highly sought-after at festivals and local markets, along with Shishi, Khenaizi, and Barhi, as well as Arizi, Hilali, Sukkari, Zahidi, Nabut Saif, Sufri, and so forth.

Qatar News Agency (QNA) reached Mubarak Saleh Al Hajri, a date farm owner and investor in the agricultural sector, who hoped that this year's season would be abundant by dint of the efforts the Ministry of Municipality is marshalling, represented by the Agricultural Affairs Department of the Ministry of Municipality.

  These efforts, Al Hajri added, entail the provision of agricultural production essentials, in terms of fertilizers, pesticides, and agricultural inputs, as well as staging exhibitions that help market domestic products and promote their market presence.

During summer, the spike in temperatures helps accelerate date palm fruit ripening, Al Hajri noted, emphasizing that the Ghar cultivar is among the primary date cultivars to emerge in the season, followed by Khalas, widely regarded as one of the finest and most sought-after cultivars. Other prominent cultivars include Shishi, Saqai, Barhi, and Hilali.

Al Hajri recalled that the early season has been more outstanding than previous seasons in terms of scale of production and diversity of cultivars, demonstrating farmers’ awareness of this homegrown product and their keenness to advance production.

He added that there is positive competition among farmers to cultivate a cornucopia of rutab cultivars to meet consumers’ needs and shore up the standing of the national product, expressing hope that this season would be better than the previous one, or even the best.

For his part, Nasser Ali Khamis Zamel Al Kuwari, a farm owner, predicted that this year's production would be more abundant than previous years, by dint of the incredible and unwavering support the nation provides to farmers.

What has been achieved in palm cultivation reflects a crystal-clear perspective toward strengthening food security and self-sufficiency and turning cultivation into an enduring economic supply, Al Kuwari underlined.

He hoped that this momentum would take hold through mobilizing further support and investment in this critical sector that forms a timeless part of Qatari identity.

  The palm tree is a symbol of goodness and giving, with an enduring standing in culture and religion, Al Kuwari said, adding that this tree is blessed and has been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, thereby precipitating continuous care and interest in cultivation.

Al Kuwari further noted that the State of Qatar is characterized by a multitude of date cultivars, alongside their high quality, as consumers at home have a strong preference for Barhi and Khalas.

By and large, the inaugural festival was launched in 2016 and featured only 19 farms. Since then, it has evolved significantly, with the number of participating farms reaching over 100 in the 10th edition staged in July 2025. 

Director of the Agricultural Affairs Department Yousef Khalid Al Khulaifi said rutab season holds economic, nutritional, and heritage value and is one of the most consequential agricultural seasons at home.

The support the agricultural sector receives from the Ministry, Al Khulaifi added, along with farmers' commitment to enforcing proper agricultural practices, has helped optimize the productivity of palm trees and elevate domestic quality, thereby demonstrating the advancement that has been made in the palm sector in the State of Qatar.

Al Khulaifi assured that homegrown rutab dates will start flowing into markets throughout the coming weeks via a variety of sales points, mainly through the Local Dates Festival at Souq Waqif, which represents a key platform to market domestic products and familiarize consumers with the foremost quality of rutab cultivars.

He further noted that the palm and date sector is constantly achieving positive indicators, with local production reaching almost 25,000 tons throughout 2025, while the self-sufficiency ratio exceeded 72%, as the country embraces approximately 638,000 date palm trees, covering an area of about 2,662 hectares, with more than 885 farms engaged in production.

Among the most prominent local rutab cultivars are Khalas, Shishi, Khenaizi, and Barhi, Al Khulaifi noted, indicating that these cultivars receive strong consumer preference owing to their high quality, alongside growing confidence in local produce and the deep cultural and agricultural heritage associated with rutab in the State of Qatar.

  Al Khulaifi further pointed out that there is a combination of programs and initiatives executed by the ministry that clearly propel the achievement of this rate of self-sufficiency, primarily supporting agricultural production inputs and conducting pest control programs.

The number of field visits to palm farms, he said, has reached 1,376 in 2025, with projections suggesting an increase to 1,500 visits in 2026.

Furthermore, Al Khulaifi added that the ministry is executing a date dehydration facility initiative- post-harvest drying units for dates- to improve product quality, alongside a program to produce palm offshoots using plant tissue culture (in vitro micropropagation), which are sold to farmers at nominal subsidized prices.

He also highlighted a government-supported date procurement program, under which the ministry purchases dates from farmers for approximately QAR 10 million annually, with an average procurement volume of around 850 metric tons of dates per year.

The local festival the ministry is staging in lockstep with Souq Waqif is one of the most preeminent agricultural events at home, Al Khulaifi underscored, noting that this platform stands as a direct marketing venue that brings together farmers and consumers and helps encourage competition to promote quality, packaging, and display.

Al Khulaifi further explained that the 10th edition of the festival drew 114 farms, recording sales of 170,403 kilograms of local rutab as well as 90,600 visitors, a testament to the rising demand for domestic produce and growing consumer confidence.

He concluded by assuring that the ministry would move ahead to implement its supportive programs and initiatives through reinforcing agricultural extension, encouraging cutting-edge agricultural technologies, and scaling up production.

These matters altogether, Al Khulaifi noted, would help sustain the agricultural sector and ensure plentiful homegrown rutab and dates in markets, as well as support the nation’s efforts to achieve self-sufficiency.

Overall, with the constantly evolving date sector in the State of Qatar, local rutab continues to consolidate its presence in markets year after year, propelled by production quality and growing consumer confidence in the homegrown product, alongside steadfast initiatives aimed at supporting farmers and sustaining the agricultural sector. (QNA)