Wednesday, Aug 05, 2009
Al Ain: Farmers have begun reaping dates, the biggest single agricultural crop of the country, with the start of the annual harvesting season in the Emirates.
The harvesting season lasts until November and the farmers pick dates from more than 42 million date palm trees across the country. The major concentration of the trees is in Al Ain which has emerged as the agricultural centre of the UAE.
"We are expecting to receive thousands of tonnes of different varieties of dates this year at our centres," said Dr Karim Mo'en Al Deen, Chief Executive Officer of Al Foah Company, noting that his firm has taken many steps to facilitate and speed up the receiving process and help ensure to complete the delivery of dates on schedule.
Receiving docks
He said seven centres will be receiving dates from the farmers in Al Foah, Al Saad, Seih Al Khayr, Al Marfaa, Abu Keraya, Gayathi, and Gomaadh areas. The company has recently enhanced receiving docks in Al Sa'ad and Seih Al Khayr where the number of docks has reached to 14 at each centre. Al Foah centre has 10 receiving docks, Abu Kraya Centre eight, Gommadh centre six, Gayathi centre two, and Al Marfaa (Port) Centre has one dock.
Dr Karim said the centres are expected to receive huge quantities of dates during the season. The process has been upgraded and it would take only 30 minutes for a farmer to offload the harvest, instead of waiting for long periods.
The company, he said, has currently been building a new refrigerated warehouse. It will have a capacity of storing 14,000 tons of dates. The project will cost Dh45 million and it will be ready in October. The company already has warehouses with a storage capacity of 36,000 tons of dates and the new storage will enhance its capacity to 50,000 tons.
"We have also ensured that the receiving centres should offer more comfortable environment to the farmers, especially for those who come from long distances," he said.
The facilities include parking areas, bathrooms, and air-conditioned tents, cafeterias and mosques.
Speaking on the occasion, Mohammad Ganim Al Mansouri, Director of External Relations and Coordination at Al Foah Company, said 1,080 people have been employed for receiving the harvest without any delay.
Work in the centres will be in two shifts daily, from 6am to 10pm, except on Friday. The receiving centres are linked with a standardised electronic system for measuring weight, quality, and classification of dates as per international standards.
A dedicated call centre has also been serving the farmers through the toll free number 8005551. The centre received more than 74,000 calls in the last season, said the official.
Al Foah Company has been formed under a mandate from the Abu Dhabi government to represent both the interests of the farmers and the vision of the government to transform the date sector so that it contributes to the UAE society on solid economic foundations.
The company includes Al Foah Farm, Emirates Dates in Al Sa'ad and Al Dhafra Dates in Al Marfa' as well as the dates receiving centres.
Fast facts: Reaping benefits
42m date palm trees in the UAE
74,000 calls received on toll-free number last year
30 minutes for a farmer to offload dates
By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief
Gulf News 2009. All rights reserved.
