Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, the Rulers' Representative in Al Gharbia, visited the fifth Liwa Date Festival yesterday as the first group of winners were announced for the first category of dates. Mohammed al Marar took top prize for his sweet, yellowish bou maa'n dates, winning a Nissan Estate for his efforts. There were vehicles, too, for the second and third-placed date farmers, while the top 12 entrants won prizes ranging from Dh60,000 (US$16,335) down to Dh15,000.
Winners for the dabbas, fardh, khalas and noukhba dates will be announced in the coming days as well as prizes for the best heritage display. Sheikh Hamdan applauded the organisers for the success of the festival and its improvements over previous events. He also called on the farmers "to use the latest technology in their farming and to strive to produce the best quality of dates on both local and international standards".
The festival runs until July 26. rghazal@thenational.ae