Dates products next big focus

The Sultanate is planning big on date palm-related products. Next year, it plans to set up factories dealing with products focusing on employing Omani youth, said Dr Saif bin Rashid al Shaqsi, Director-General of Million Date Palm Plantation Project. Al Shaqsi told the Observer the Diwan of Royal Court is finalising an innovative study on using date palms and their residues, in cooperation with Industrial Innovation Centre, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The implementation, however, will be supported by Oman National Investments Deve-lopment Company ‘Tanmia’. “It will focus on five products. Two to three factories will be concerned with the manufacture, production and distribution of products from 11 farms as part of the Million Palms Project,” he added. “We are also collaborating with an international organisation to help provide external expertise.” The One Million Date Palm Project is a translation of His Majesty’s vision to preserve natural wealth and revive tradition. It is considered one of the pioneering projects in the Sultanate because of the outcomes it will achieve economically, socially, environmentally and on nutrition level. The project is expected to achieve a remarkable quality shift in the date palm sector by implementing the latest scientific developments in agriculture operations and in the production of dates and its secondary products.  It will enhance the Oman dates’ ability to compete in the inter-national market. The project targets four main types of dates: Fardh, Khalas, Bunarenja and Fahol (male palms). It extends in 11th farms distributed across all wilayats, including Ibri, Masrooq and Al Safa in Dhahira, Wegan and Qabil in Buraimi, Samail and Nizwa in Dakhiliya, Ibra and Kamil in Sharqiya, besides Qitibit in Dhofar. Zainab al Nassri