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THE LOCAL MARKET:
The United Arab Emirates forms the biggest
market share of Al Wathba Marionnet. Our
clientele varies from governmental bodies
and organizations to major clients and farm
owners. Our plants enjoys a superb
reputation due to its true to typeness, high
sanitary status, great establishment success
and high productivity in farmers' fields. As
well, because of the professional after sale
service and technical support provided by Al
Wathba Marionnet to its customers, they buy
all their needs of date palm plants from us
and recommend our plants to their relatives
and friends. Al Wathba Marionnet supplies
year after year quantities of its plants to
Ministry of Environment & Water and Abu
Dhabi Department of Municipalities &
Agriculture. In the other hand, we supply
plants to: the private department of His
Highness Sheikh Saqr Al Qasimi, Rular of Ras
Al Khaymah, private offices of their
highness: Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al
Nahyyan, Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyyan,
Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyyan, Sheikh
Mansour Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyyan. Listed below
are some of our distinguished clients:
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries:
 We
have supplied plants through tenders in the
years 1998, 1999, 2002 & 2003. Quantities
are either delivered or on their way for
delivery and distribution through the
Ministry to all the agricultural regions of
the Emirates. Varieties like Barhi, Khalas,
Saggai, and Medjool along with a collection
of high quality varieties of males such as
Ghannami, Fard 4 and Dayri DC4 are planted
in various parts of U.A.E. notably the
northern emirates. As well, we have supplied
plants to the Ministry’s researches and
experiments in Dibba, Ghayathi and Al
Humranyah experimental stations. Reports are
so far vary positive where most of our
plants became fruitful after only three
years of planting.
Abu Dhabi Municipality:
 Al
Wathba Marionnet LLC is satisfying the big
majority of the Abu Dhabi requirements of
Date Palm plants. Quantities exceeded so far
70,000 plants of different varieties such
as: Khalas, Barhi, Sukkari, Sheishi, Nabtet
Seif, Medjool, Khadrawi… etc. most of these
quantities were distributed to farmers in
Liwa and the western region. As well, we
have delivered quantities of plants for the
Agricultural Section of the Municipality
responsible for the preparation of the new
farms. Through the Municipality we have sold
additional quantities of plants to some
major clients and Sheikh offices in Abu
Dhabi Emirate. Moreover, we have supplied
the experimental station of the Municipality
in Bani Yas with plant samples of most of
our varieties in order to carry out studies
about the conformity and adaptability of
such varieties to local environment. Results
of these studies convinced the Municipality
of the high quality of our Date Palm plants.
U.A.E. University – Al Ain:
We maintain very close and strong
relations with the U.A.E. University in Al
Ain in general and with the Date Palm
Research and Development Program – Tissue
culture laboratory in particular. Through
them we have supplied quantities of Date
Palm plants of our production. We
continuously participate in all seminars and
symposia organized by the University. On 28
April 2002, we have made a lecture about our
technology and experience in the field of
Date Palm Tissue culture during the seminar
organized by Faculty of Agriculture.
Recently, we have attended the works of the
International Forum on Date Palm organized
by the University.
Among our key clients and customers we can
mention as well: Private Department of His
Highness Sheikh Saqer bin Mohammed Al
Qassimi – ruler of Ras Al Khaymah, Private
department of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa
bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Al Ain, Office of His
Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
Office of his Highness Sheikh Hazza bin
Zayed Al Nahyan and Office of His Highness
Sheikh Mansour bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan.
In addition, Al Wathba Marionnet satisfies
all date palm requirements of Emirates Dates
Company. They also made contracts with us
for the propagation of special varieties
exclusively for them with them.
WORLDWIDE MARKET
Until 1997, Marionnet SARL – our mother
company – used to supply the markets of
different countries in Africa, the Middle
East, the Gulf region along with other Date
Palm growing regions in the world either
directly to customers or through agents and
distributors. Since Al Wathba Marionnet LLC
was established in Abu Dhabi and the
creation of its laboratory in Al Ain, the
entire existing marketing network that used
to belong to Marionnet SARL was transferred
to Al Wathba Marionnet LLC. Presently, we
have agents and distributors in many
countries around the world. As well, we have
supplied plants in commercial quantities to
many international or local organizations.
Of them we can mention the following:
Kuwait:
 One
of the major markets for our plants. It
represents so far 38% of our export market.
In 1993, Gulf Palms General Trading and
Contracting Company became our sole agent in
Kuwait. Before that we used to deal with our
clients directly. Gulf Palms Company is a
leading agricultural company in Kuwait; they
own many Date Palm plantations that supply
dates to their date processing factory. In
1995, we have signed with them a contract to
propagate some high quality varieties such
as: Hasawi, Dakheeliah, Samaraan, Ashqar,
Fersi, Wannana and Joezi. These varieties
are produced exclusively for them. Through
Gulf Palms Company we are supplying yearly
tenders made by the Kuwait Oil Company and
the Kuwait Ministry of Agriculture.
Jordan:
Sales in Jordan started in small quantities
of varieties mainly Medjool, Deglet Noor and
Barhi. Among our first clients in Jordan is
The Royal Hashemite Court. Our plants were
planted in Farms of His Majesty the late
King Hussein, Her Royal Highness Princess
Alia, and recently His Majesty King Abdullah
II. As well, major Businessmen like Mr.
Sabeeh Al Masri, Mr. Sameer Kawar, Dr.
Abdulla Arar… etc. have made plantations of
Date Palms and date processing factories for
the purpose of producing fancy dates
specially of Medjool, Barhi and Deglet Noor
varieties and market them in European
Markets. In 1998, we have signed an agency
contract with the Al Haq Farms, a semi
governmental company. Since that time, we
have supplied plants to many governmental
and private customers such as: Ministry of
Agriculture, Authority of the Jordan Valley,
and Aqaba District Development Authority
along with many private projects through
them. In addition, we have supplied plants
for development projects sponsored and
financed by the United Nations Development
program (UNDP) and carried jointly by the
Ministry of Planning and our Agents Al Haq
Farms.
Egypt:
 Sales
to Egypt were mainly for the Public sector.
The main project was the supply of 35,000
plants of special Egyptian varieties:
Malakabi, Bartamodah and Sakuti for the
Toshka Project that is financed by the
United Arab Emirates and curried out by the
Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture. These
plants were planted alongside Sheikh Zayed
Canal, which was called after His Highness
The President to show gratitude to his
generous contribution in this project. In
addition, quantities of different varieties
were sold to farmers through the Egyptian
Union of Producers. Recently, we started o
supply many big agricultural companies from
the private sector with plant of different
varieties mainly: Zamli, Medjool and Barhi.
Namibia:
 Yearly,
we supply plants to the Namibian Development
Corporation for their Date Production
Support Program that is sponsored by the
United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization FAO. In addition, we supply
plants to many other private companies. Up
to date, we have sold in Namibia over 50,000
plants. It is noteworthy that our clients
ensure that our plants usually become
fruitful after only 2.5 years. Dates of our
trees in Namibia are sold yearly all over
the world.
Niger:
 Through
our cooperation with the United Nations Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO), we
continue to supply plants to various
organizations and project in Niger.
Quantities were sold either directly to the
FAO for its development projects in Niamey
or through the International Institute for
Agronomic Research (ICRISAT) to whom we
still supply plants of different varieties.
Yemen:
Due to the ban that the Yemeni Authorities
put on the importation of Date Palm plants
of any source, it was very difficult for us
to reply on the growing demand on Date Palm
plants in Yemen. The reason of this blockage
was them being afraid of letting in diseases
and pest to their country. Few years ago, we
have approached the Yemeni Ministry of
Agriculture and offered them our
cooperation. Promptly, senior engineers of
the Plant Protection and Agricultural
Quarantine along with senior officers of the
Yemeni Ministry of Agriculture visited our
laboratory in Al Ain and get clear idea
about the strict measures of quality control
applied in our facilities. Seen the
excellent reputation of our plants worldwide
and the results of their visit, they granted
us an exceptional permit to export plants to
Yemen. Without delay, we started to supply
the Yemeni farmers and clients with
quantities of different varieties of plants
mainly Barhi, Sukkari, Sultana, Saggai and
males.
Somalia:
 As
part of our close relations with development
projects all around the world, we were
contacted by the European Committee for
Agricultural Training (C.E.F.A.) for their
project in Puntland – Somalia entitled:
Improved Agricultural Production in Oases (I.A.P.O.).
This project is financed by the European
Union. The objectives of this project is to
improve the Date Palm production in Bari
region in north Somalia through the
introduction of high quality Date Palm
varieties and carry out training for the
local population to improve their
agricultural practices. From our part, we
have supplied them with the needed
quantities of Date Palm plants and in
cooperation with the project we made
training and lectures for local farmers on
site. As well, we have received some
trainees in our facilities in Al Ain for
additional training on nursery operations.
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