Muscat: The activities of the 4th Dates and Honey Exhibition began on Monday at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC). The event is participated by 100 small and medium enterprises, companies, and producing, manufacturing, exporting, and importing entities of dates and honey, alongside several entrepreneurs from within the Sultanate of Oman.
The inauguration ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr. Said Mohammed Al Saqri, Economic Advisor at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.
The exhibition, organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources in partnership with Oman Agriculture Development Company, runs until 23 October. It comes as a celebration of Omani products, highlighting their quality and diversity, as well as the abundance of palm bumper crops and honey products in the Sultanate of Oman, reflecting Omani agricultural heritage and enhancing the presence of local products in markets.
The exhibition aims to provide companies and enterprises operating in the production, manufacturing, packaging, exporting, and importing of dates, honey, and their derivatives with the opportunity to introduce their products and expand the horizons of trade and investment in this sector. It also aims to highlight the quality of Omani products and open new markets for them, contributing to raising their competitive capacity and enhancing their presence locally, regionally, and internationally.
Yahya Khalfan Al Hadabi, Director of the Marketing Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, told Oman News Agency that the fourth edition of the Dates and Honey Exhibition sees the participation of 100 companies and enterprises in the dates and honey field.
He noted that focus was placed on the marketing identity of products, their compliance with specific standards, and laboratory testing for honey, with exhibitors obtaining quality certificates for product standards and packaging to shift from traditional aspects to innovative marketing and packaging identities capable of reaching foreign markets. He added that the current edition of the exhibition focused on prominent producers and marketers capable of entering the market and competing effectively.
The exhibition serves as a platform to showcase the latest technologies and modern applications in the fields of date and honey production, manufacturing, and packaging, as well as exchanging expertise and experiences among producers, manufacturers, and entrepreneurs, thereby supporting the development of production mechanisms, elevating product efficiency and quality, and boosting growth and investment opportunities in this vital sector.
The organisation of the exhibition comes within efforts aimed at promoting a culture of consuming local products, raising awareness of their quality and diversity, supporting Omani products, and opening new avenues for marketing and investment, which contributes to developing the national economy and strengthening the food security system.
The exhibition welcomes visitors daily throughout its run from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, allowing them to explore the finest types of dates, honey, and their diverse products, meet producers and business owners, and view products combining authenticity, quality, and innovation.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources invites community members, including citizens and residents, to visit the exhibition and benefit from its activities, products, and diverse experiences, emphasising that supporting local products and choosing Omani goods represent a direct contribution to supporting business owners and strengthening the national economy.
The fourth Dates and Honey Exhibition embodies a specialised platform to celebrate the bounties of the Sultanate of Oman and highlight its agricultural products, with the authentic identity, long history, and economic and nutritional value they carry, telling through them the story of Oman's land and its renewed giving.