Under Royal Patronage .. Opening of the 8th International Festival of Jordanian Dates 2026 in Amman

Al-Taj News – Under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II, the activities of the 8th International Festival of Jordanian Dates 2026 were launched today, Tuesday.

The activities were organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation of the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation at the Presidential Court in the United Arab Emirates, in cooperation with the Jordan Dates Association and the Jordan Dates Cooperative.

The representative of the festival’s patron, Minister of Agriculture Dr. Saeb Khreisat, said that the festival was launched in its first session in 2018 and developed in an institutional manner thanks to fruitful cooperation with various relevant entities alongside the Khalifa Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation, the Dates Association, the Jordan Dates Cooperative, and the Ministry of Agriculture, becoming an annual celebration and meeting where brothers gather.

He cited the Almighty’s saying: (And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates), pointing out that the palm tree has been spreading its roots in this part of the world for thousands of years, and that studies confirm the existence of date palms in Jordan about 3,000 years ago. He also cited the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him (O Aisha, a house with no dates in it, its people are hungry), emphasizing the nutritional value of dates, which contain most minerals and vitamins.

He explained that the date industry and export in Jordan generate a value exceeding 60 million dollars, while the volume of investment in palm cultivation reaches about 600 million dollars, and the sector has provided more than 12,000 job opportunities, including about 5,000 opportunities for women.

Khreisat confirmed that the Jordanian “Medjool” date enjoys a high global reputation that surpasses what is grown in other areas, thanks to the nature of the climate in the Jordan Valley, the atmospheric pressure characteristics, oxygen percentages, soil, and the elevation below sea level.

He pointed out that the existing partnerships between the Khalifa Award and the Ministry of Agriculture are an extension of a firmly established leadership cooperation uniting His Majesty King Abdullah II and his brother His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and that there are investments worth millions of dinars in the field of using artificial intelligence and agricultural innovation for Medjool palm and date processes, with the approaching opening of one of the largest centers globally for localization, grading, sorting, and exporting of dates.

In turn, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Jordan Dates Association, Engineer Anwar Haddad, emphasized in his speech delivered during the opening that the Jordanian Medjool date sits on the throne of the international date market with exceptional efficiency and high quality, explaining that the sector witnessed steady growth reflected in doubling land prices in the Jordan Valley, transforming previously unfit lands and some saline water into productive palm farms, and raising the average individual consumption to 4 kilograms per year.

He added that the sector is heading toward applying artificial intelligence technologies, modern mechanization, and smart irrigation to face water scarcity and climate change, while addressing holding fragmentation through collection and sorting centers, noting that the association amended its basic law to include all actors across the value chain, from farmers, service providers, experts, and university professors, to unite efforts on a single platform.

He noted the development of manufacturing industries to benefit from production waste in providing high-value products such as biochar, date powder, date tea and Nutella, in addition to the date-infused Um Ali recipe model.

Haddad reviewed the activities of the festival in its 8th session, which includes a specialized exhibition with the participation of 14 foreign countries, a scientific symposium focusing on artificial intelligence and digitization, and the International Buyer Program, which attracted about 80 global buyers to Amman since 2018 to finalize deals.

Haddad thanked the partners organizing these activities, led by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Khalifa International Award, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations “FAO” for their continuous support.

For his part, the Secretary-General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, said that eight sessions of joint work confirm that the festival has become a specialized platform for exchanging expertise, enhancing partnerships, developing value chains, and supporting the growing presence of Jordanian dates in regional and international markets.