Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Municipality has honoured participating and supporting entities, contributing departments, the judging committee and winners of the 11th Local Dates Festival 2026, recognising their efforts in ensuring the success of the annual event and supporting Qatar’s agricultural sector.
The Festival recorded sales of more than 183 tonnes of local dates, alongside over 8.7 tonnes of locally produced seasonal fruits.
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Municipality Ali bin Mohammed Al Ali, presented the honours at a ceremony attended by assistant undersecretaries, directors-general of municipalities, department directors, farm owners, local producers and festival partners.
The event opened with a documentary film highlighting key milestones of the festival’s 11th edition, its accompanying activities and the efforts made to ensure its success.
In his welcoming speech, Assistant Undersecretary for Agriculture and Food Security Affairs at the Ministry of Municipality Yousef Khalid Al Khulaifi, said the Local Dates Festival continues to strengthen its position as an important national platform for supporting local agricultural products and expanding their marketing opportunities.
He said the festival’s continued success reflects the development of Qatar’s agricultural sector and the efforts of local farmers and producers to improve the quality and competitiveness of national products.
The 11th edition saw the participation of 125 local farms, while sales of locally produced seasonal fruits exceeded 8.7 tonnes, highlighting the contribution of the festival to promoting Qatari agricultural produce and providing farmers with direct access to consumers.
Al Khulaifi said the festival supports the objectives of Qatar’s food security strategy by providing direct marketing outlets for local farmers and encouraging them to improve production quality and develop their products.
These efforts contribute to strengthening the sustainability of the agricultural sector, increasing its contribution to national food production and supporting Qatar’s drive towards greater self-sufficiency.
The ceremony recognised several participating and supporting organisations, including Souq Waqif Management, the General Directorate of Zakat at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, the Ministry of Public Health, Al Rayyan Media and Marketing Company, and a number of shopping malls.
Ministry of Municipality departments that contributed to organising the festival were also honoured, alongside the judging committee responsible for overseeing the competitions and the winners across the various categories.
Concluding the ceremony, Al Khulaifi expressed his appreciation to the undersecretary of the Ministry of Municipality, partner organisations, supporting departments, work teams, farm owners and local producers for their contributions to the festival’s success.
He affirmed the ministry’s commitment to further developing future editions of the event and strengthening its role as a prominent agricultural platform that promotes national products, supports local farmers and contributes to Qatar’s food security objectives.
