With Ramzan commencing in a day or two, the hunt is on for the best dates. The fruit plays a major part in the fast-breaking ceremony of the holy month and hence is an important ingredient of Ifthar parties.
The fourth Dates Festival, which is on at the indoor stadium here, offered a wide variety of the fruit. There are ripe and dry dates from almost all major date-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, UAE, Oman, Tunisia, and Jordan. Also on display are value-added products with dates such as cookies, pickles, halwa, chocolates, syrup, and payasam.
The stars of the festival, organised by Kozhikoden’s, are the Al-Ajwa dates from Madeena and the Medjol dates from Jordan. Al-Ajwa, otherwise known as ‘holy dates,’ is produced only in Madeena.
It has a small seed and is known for its medicinal properties. Legend has it that Prophet Muhammed mentioned that these dates have the power to prevent diseases and to resist poison if consumed daily.
A kilogram of Al-Ajwa dates costs above Rs.2,500; its value-added variety Al-Ajwa Cinnamon Honey, costs Rs.4,000. Medjol dates are the biggest and the softest, and hence is expensive at Rs.1,900 a kilogram. Ambar from Saudi Arabia costs Rs.2,000 per kilogram. The other varieties available are Mabroom, Sagai, Al-Shukari, Safawi, and Kudri from Saudi Arabia, Barni dates, Rabya, and Lulu from Oman.
The raw dates from Rajasthan, that used to be a major feature of the dates festival in the previous years, are absent this year.
“It is not yet the season for raw dates. They are available around August, when it is peak summer in Rajasthan. The holy month came much earlier this year and hence we could not procure raw dates,” said Abdurahman J., a vendor.
Kozhikoden’s is organising Dates Festival in Kannur as well from Monday. The festival concludes on June 21 in Kozhikode and on June 22 in Kannur.
