The main topics of the Seventh International Date Palm Conference can be summarized as follows:

Current Status of Date Palm Cultivation.

Based on developments and experiences of the UAE and other date growing countries during the last 30 years, the following topics shall be presented:

• UAE date palm cultivation experience;
• Date industry in other date palm growing countries;
• Impacts of date palm culture on the environment and desertification control.

Mejhoul Variety: Origin, Distribution and International market.

• Mejhoul Origin and geographical distribution
• Edapho-climatic requirements
• Propagation techniques
• Fruit Chemical and physical characteristics
• Marketing standards
• Recent large scale Mejhoul plantations
• Mejhoul cultivation in Kingdom of Morocco, Arab Republic of Egypt, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, State of Palestine, Israel, USA, Mexico, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of South Africa, and Namibia.
• FAO, ICARDA, AOAD, AARINENA, ACSAD
• Regional and International marketing
• Importance of Mejhoul in the date palm strategies of the MENA countries
• Expected impact of the date palm strategies of the MENA countries on the date regional and international marketing
• Conclusions and recommendations

Date Palm Improvement.

Articles prepared by eminent scientists and experts on the following subjects will be put forward for discussion:

• Molecular and genetic engineering.
• Germplasm and propagation.
• Improved date palm cultural practices.
• Importance and Advantages of Organic Date Palm cultivation.

Date Palm Protection.

• Major diseases of date palm;
• Major pests of date palm with a special focus on Red Palm Weevil;
• Physiological disorders.

Date Palm Processing and Marketing

All harvest, nutritional and commercial aspects from field to consumer table will be presented:

• Post-harvest and processing technologies;
• Nutrition and beneficial health aspects;
• Date conditioning and packaging;
• Date marketing and international trade.

Additionally, the conference will have brief invited presentations from the winners of the 2019 & 2020 Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation.

Several round tables and brainstorming meetings will be organized. A detailed program of the conference will be e-mailed to participants before their arrival to UAE.