Ammon News - Deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II, Minister of Agriculture Khaled Hnifat inaugurated on Monday the 5th International Festival of Jordanian Dates, which is organized by the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Jordanian Dates Association.

Hnifat said that the royal patronization of the festival is clear evidence of the festival’s continued success year after year, and that its launch in its fifth edition highlights the extent of its importance in achieving positive results in its previous editions on the palm sector in Jordan in terms of increasing competitiveness among farmers, through the dates competition and honoring the pioneers and supporters of the cultivation and production of dates, and increasing exports by providing the opportunity for merchants and international companies importing dates to meet with farmers.

The minister pointed out that the palm sector garnered interest from the private sector due to its geographical advantage, especially for the Medjool date variety. The volume of investments in the sector is worth about $500 million and contributes to creating about 5-8 thousand job opportunities, 40 percent of which are occupied women, he added.