Indigenous brands take centre stage at date festival

Female exhibitors from remote areas showcase local innovative flavours

KARACHI:

At the ongoing International Date Festival at the Expo Centre, Pakistani traders introduced the traditional flavour of dates in new ways by combining them with various types of dried fruits.

A woman trader from Khairpur showcased products made from a mix of dry fruit toppings and sprinkles, while a trader from Peshawar presented date syrup and jam. Additionally, products made from Begum Jangi dates combined with sesame seeds from Balochistan, such as 'Kanchti Nah' and mixed 'Shergi Nah' with syrup, are among the to attractions at the event.

The first International Date Festival currently taking place at the Expo Centre features participation from eight countries. Approximately 300 stalls showcasing both local and foreign dates have been set up, offering a variety of dates including the indigenous, Karrablai, and Muzzafarti types, among others. The festival is also attracting attention for foreign stalls displaying products made from dates. Some local companies have introduced traditional flavors with dry fruit toppings, as well as dates packaged beautifully with a mix of pistachios, almonds, and cashews.

Samreen Sher Muhammad, a female stallholder from the rural Sindh area of Khairpur, stated in an interview with The Express Tribune that attracting children to dates in today's modern diets is a very challenging task. For this reason, she has introduced the traditional flavour of dates in various forms, aligning with health standards, by combining them with dry fruits and sprinkles.

Peshawar trader Hashmat Safi has also introduced date syrup and jam at the festival, beautifully packaged. He mentioned that the preparation of date syrup is a new experiment that people are enjoying. Additionally, a sugar-free syrup has been introduced for individuals with diabetes, which has a shelf life of about one year. The rationale behind this syrup's preparation is that sometimes dates become soft for various reasons, so they have been transformed into a liquid form to make them useful.

The stall of a trader from the remote region of Kech, Balochistan, featured the unique combination of Begum Jangi dates with various ingredients to create Kanchti Nakh and Sohun Halwa-like date syrup, which attracted special attention.