Over 100 baskets of dabbas were lined up on tables, awaiting judgement for the tastiest, healthiest and the best looking date of them all. This variety of date, especially popular in Liwa oasis, was the first of the 10 ratab – half-ripened dates – competitions to start the 12th annual Liwa Dates Festival.
Organised by the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee – Abu Dhabi, the festival, which runs from July 20 to 30 this year, is a celebration of the new harvest of dates across UAE, as well as a celebration of Emirati heritage and a great economic support to the population of Al Gharbia, the Western Region of the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
“Dabbas, khallas, kunaizi, farth, bou maan, these are the most popular, most grown varieties of dates in the UAE and that is why we selected them for the ratab competitions,” said Abdullah Butti Al Qubaisi, director of Projects Management and Communication at the Committee. “Participants have the option to compete with other varieties of ratab in the nukhba competition, which awards the best basket of mixed ratab,” he added.
Also in the ratab mazeinah (or beauty competition) is the biggest etheg or heaviest bunch competition, awarding from Dh50,000 for first place to Dh2,000 for fifth place.
As in previous years, the format of the ratab competitions is receiving and judging dates in one evening and announcing the winners in the following evening.
For the first day of the festival 20 farmers submitted their baskets of dabbas to be judged and at least 15 brought in their branches of ratab, weighing anything from 70 kg to 105 kg – the heaviest one!
“The quality of all these dabbas entries is very high and very close. We look at size, colour, weight, taste and pesticides free when judging the ratab, but we have our work cut out for us this year, as the quality of all entries is very good,” said Eng. Khalifa Maktoum Al Mazrouei, one of the judges of the ratab competitions.
“Dabbas is a medium size, sweet date that is particularly popular here, in the Liwa region. It is also the first one to ripe and that is why we start the ratab competitions with dabbas,” added Dr Hassan Shabana, also a judge for the ratab competitions.
The egg-shaped, yellow coloured dabbas take up half the palm tree plantations in Liwa Oasis and the near by Madinat Zayed. For many farmers here, this date variety is a local hero, as it can grow in harsh weather conditions and can withstand high water salinity.
As with dabbas, all ratab varieties competitions will award cash prizes to the best 15 entries. Altogether, the committee will give away Dh6 million in 220 prizes, which also include best model farm, best fruit basket, best mangoes, best lemons, best heritage model and photography competitions. All fruit in the competitions must be UAE grown.
Organisers expect that at least 300 farmers from all over the country will take part in the ratab competitions this year, but the emphasis is not so much on the numbers, but on the quality.
Away from the closed doors of the ratab judging room, dozens of participants have set up pavilions, tables and shops in the 20,000 square meters air conditioned tent, especially set up in Mazeirah, the main town of Liwa Oasis, for the festival.
Throughout the 10-days festival, up to 70,000 visitors are expected and will be welcomed in the festival’s majlis, where fresh dates and Arabic coffee are served, will get to know about the latest date palm farming and business from government and private organisations set up here with impressively designed pavilions (anything from solar power farming to the “monster” dates of Zirku island), will have the opportunity to purchase fresh dates from local farmers and will get to shop for souvenirs and handicrafts in the traditional souk. The festival is open daily from 4pm to 10pm.
