Importance of date palms to UAE

The date palm has been part of Arab culture for hundreds of years. Many scientists believe that the date palm tree is one of the oldest fruit producing trees in the world. While palms trees have become popular in many parts of the world, mainly for use in decorative purposes, the main thing that distinguishes that date palm is its fruit. Not only is the fruit high in nutritious value, it is an essential part of the diet of many people in countries such as the UAE. In fact, with the recent craze in healthy eating, more people have started to use dates as an alternative to sugar. Date exports have also risen sharply in recent years, mainly due to its increased popularity in the USA and Europe. 

The UAE is the sixth largest producer of dates. There are more than 100 different varieties of date palms that are grown for the date fruit and the trees serve many practical purposes as well. This makes dates an important part of UAE economy. In addition to this, dates palms have been part of the culture for hundreds of years. Local Bedouin tribes have earned their livelihood through date cultivation and make use of the bark and pits as well. They also have a certain cultural attachment to the date palm. Because of the hot weather in the UAE, the date palm flourishes naturally. The fact that it is a tough plant that is drought resistant adds to its value. 

Economic value 

Date exports form a major portion of the exports in the UAE. There are many date farms that have begun to use modern machinery and equipment to cultivate dates. This creates opportunities in many other industries as well. The bark of date palms can be used to make furniture as well. While date fruits are usually exported, many businesses that deal in exporting date palms have also helped contribute to the UAE economy. Because of this, the UAE government has decided to invest in modernizing date farming to help increase the yield and reduce resource wastage. 

Cultural value 

Dates are an important part of UAE culture. Most people eat dates every day due to their abundance and the quality of dates also plays an important role in UAE life. Guests are often treated with special dates and this also indicates its importance. In the month of Ramadan, date consumption also reaches a peak because of the religious importance attached to it in the UAE. 

Research value 

Date fruit is currently being researched as a potential cure for many illnesses due to its ability to cure inflammatory conditions. Date pits were found to contain substances that can help clean up toxic chemicals from water. The application of this in helping clean polluted rivers and sewerage treatment is under research. The waste material from date leaves can also be used to create biofuel as it has as high conversion capacity. These properties mean that dates will have additional value for the country in coming years.