Date peeling season begins in a number of wilayats of Oman
Manah: Date peeling, known as Tabsil in Arabic, for the production of Al Faghour, a local delicacy, has begun in a number of wilayats of the Sultanate of Oman.
Al Faghour refers to a product derived from unripe dates and its production is an activity in Oman, particularly in the in the Wilayat of Manah, Al Dakhiliyah Governorate. It is one of the social and heritage activities, mainly done by hand by family members and neighbours.
Mohammed bin Khalaf Al Masroori, one of the farmers in the Wilayat of Manah, Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, who is in this activity said that the process involves careful removal of the outer skin of unripe dates (Tabsil). The date is then dried and processed into Al Faghour.
This seasonal activity is restricted to Al Mabsaly date palm trees, which is planted in most wilayats of the Sultanate of Oman, mainly in North Al Sharqiyah Governorate.
The Tabsil season is usually between June and July every year, he said adding that Al Faghour is a delicious food with increasing demand within and outside the Sultanate of Oman and marketed in coordination with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion with the majority of the product exported to India.
The price of Al Faghour is between 500 to 700 baisa per kg. and OMR1 in most of shopping centres and hypermarkets, he added.
This product is also coverted into powder and used in making sweets, cakes and cookies instead of using white sugar as Al Mabsaly date palm is known for its sweet dates, he said.
'We have future plans for using the Al Faghour products into food industries such as sweets, biscuits and cookies as to ensure high revenues for the product,' he further added.
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