Amman: Minister of Agriculture Khaled Hneifat on Sunday inaugurated the 6th Jordan International Date Palm Festival in Amman, representing His Majesty King Abdullah II. The festival is supported by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and organized in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Jordan Dates Association, with oversight from the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation. According to Jordan News Agency, the event, held in Amman, gathered high-profile guests, including the UAE's Charge d'Affaires in Jordan, Hamad Abdullah Al Matroushi, and Abdel Wahab Zayed, Secretary-General of the Khalifa International Award. Senior Jordanian officials, diplomats, representatives from international organizations, researchers, farmers, and industry experts were in attendance, underscoring the significance of the date sector to Jordan's economy and the strong agricultural ties between Jordan and the UAE. In his remarks, Minister Hneifat emphasized that the festiv al not only celebrates the longstanding agricultural partnership between Jordan and the UAE but also highlights Jordan's historical ties to date cultivation. He noted that the tradition of growing date palms in Jordan dates back over 3,000 years, especially in the Aqaba region. He shared that investment in the date palm sector has surged, particularly in the prized Medjool variety, with private investments totaling approximately $500 million. The sector has also created nearly 10,000 jobs in Jordan, with 40% of these roles held by women, demonstrating the sector's contribution to local economic empowerment. Hneifat further highlighted that the festival is a testament to the royal support and Jordan's commitment to promoting agricultural exports. Currently, about 20% of the Jordan Valley's farmland is dedicated to date cultivation, with the country exporting over 65% of its annual date production. This volume, valued at JD 65 million, reaches markets across the globe, showcasing Jordanian dates as a premium p roduct internationally. Minister Hneifat expressed his gratitude to Sheikh Mansour for his continued support of the festival, which serves as a key driver of economic growth for Jordan's agriculture sector. Anwar Haddad, President of the Jordan Dates Association, echoed these sentiments, noting the substantial growth of Jordan's date industry. He reported that cultivated areas now span 45,000 dunams and that production has reached 35,000 tons, with demand for Jordanian dates on the rise internationally. The demand in foreign markets has seen an impressive 125% increase, with Jordan exporting high-quality dates to more than 51 countries worldwide. This rapid growth has positioned Jordan as a major player in the global date market, ranking 11th in export volume and 9th in export value. Abdel Wahab Zayed, Secretary-General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, shared his pride in the festival's accomplishments. He highlighted the festival as a milestone in the agricultu ral collaboration between Jordan and the UAE, adding that it reflects the deep historical and strategic ties between the two nations. Zayed emphasized the importance of the event as a platform for knowledge-sharing, bringing together farmers, producers, and industry experts from various date-producing countries to exchange best practices and showcase advances in date cultivation. Hamad Al Matroushi, Charge d'Affaires of the UAE Embassy, praised the enduring agricultural partnership between Jordan and the UAE, which is strongly backed by the leadership of both nations. He commended the Khalifa International Award for its role in supporting the growth of the date palm sector in Jordan and noted the UAE's commitment to bolstering Jordan's date production as part of broader goals to enhance food security and promote sustainable agricultural development. As part of the event, attendees viewed a documentary that recounted the achievements of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovatio n over the past sixteen years, highlighting its impact on the date industry across multiple countries. The festival also featured an award ceremony recognizing the winners of the Jordan Date Competition's sixth cycle, as well as the signing of three memoranda of understanding between the Jordan Dates Association and key stakeholders in the date and agricultural sector. The festival, held annually, continues to solidify Jordan's reputation in the global date industry, celebrating its cultural and economic importance and the cooperative efforts of Jordan and the UAE in supporting the sector's ongoing growth and innovation.
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