The Arab world is now considered, as in the past, the main producer and exporter of dates in the world. Out of a total of approximately 125 million palm trees, about 70% are grown in the Arab countries.
The date-palm tree has been mentioned in the Holy Quran in twenty different places, in the sayings of our Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) and in Arabic poetry.
The date fruit has more than 365 uses, among which is its unique nourishing value as a universal diet. It contains almost 80% of fresh sugar, mineral salts and other rare elements such as Potassium, Magnesium and Iron, and Vitamins A, B, B2 and B6. All these are of great importance to the human body and necessary for: activity and mobility, the digestive system, balance of body liquids and the nervous system.
The First Council of Arab Palm-tree and Dates held at Baghdad in 1981, recommended that the 15th of September in each year should be celebrated all over the Arab World as the "Arab Palm-tree and Dates" Day, in order to protect this national agricultural wealth, particularly since the nation was seeking self sufficiency in food. The Arab States League immediately approved this recommendation which was circulated to all member countries.
The Palm-tree and Dates National Committee of the UAE thereafter endorsed the necessity of protecting the date palm tree. At the fourth meeting held in 1985 at Ras-alKhaimah under the chairmanship of His Highness Sheikh Saqr Bin Muhammed AI-Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ras-al-Khaimah, the Committee also emphasised the necessity of celebrating the aforementioned day.
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