{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "contentDigest": "e0f7b7535107a0073d3ec4dd62e199d3732b820911501ca5a9abcfe525984ef5",
  "id": "news-oct2026-uae-abu-dhabi-al-dhafra-dates-festival",
  "language": "en",
  "interfaceLanguage": "en",
  "url": "https://voltformer.com/news/al-dhafra-dates-festival-farmers-auction-october-2026",
  "slug": "al-dhafra-dates-festival-farmers-auction-october-2026",
  "category": "policy-standards",
  "publishDate": "2026-10-18",
  "sourceName": "Abu Dhabi Media Office / Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.mediaoffice.abudhabi/en/arts-culture/sultan-bin-hamdan-bin-zayed-visits-5th-al-dhafra-dates-festival/",
  "readingTimeMinutes": 1,
  "tags": [
    "United Arab Emirates",
    "Abu Dhabi",
    "Agriculture",
    "Dates (fruit)",
    "Farmers",
    "Food systems"
  ],
  "content": {
    "title": "Al Dhafra dates festival adds palm auction to farmer showcase",
    "summary": "The October festival features date competitions, daily produce auctions and a new auction for date palms.",
    "sections": [
      {
        "heading": "Agriculture and local produce",
        "paragraphs": [
          "The Abu Dhabi Media Office reported on 18 October that the fifth Al Dhafra Dates Festival runs in Madinat Zayed through 25 October. The event features 22 competitions with 180 prizes worth AED 4.6 million and a daily dates auction. For the first time, it also includes a date-palm auction intended to preserve local varieties and make rare cultivars available to farmers and enthusiasts."
        ],
        "sources": [
          {
            "name": "Abu Dhabi Media Office / Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority",
            "url": "https://www.mediaoffice.abudhabi/en/arts-culture/sultan-bin-hamdan-bin-zayed-visits-5th-al-dhafra-dates-festival/"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "companies": [],
  "sourceVersion": "490c77be77e4fad27a7dd6f14e656edab06d794c3d8b1a6c4e0502476a4f442a"
}