The date-harvesting season is from June to the end of October. There are many different varieties of dates, with different types being harvested at different times.

In bygone years oasis tarmers depended on the ubiquitous date palm as much as the nomadic Bedouin depended on the camel. The date palm produces fruit that’s rich in calories and is easily preserved. It also produces timber. Virtually every part of the tree can be used: the trunks to make columns and ceilings for houses, and the fronds for roofs and walls, as well as bags, brooms, mats and tans. The seeds are used to feed livestock, and the wood is burned for fuel.

Perhaps most importantly, the date palm was essential for the agriculture of the entire oasis, since it created the microclimate necessary for the cultivation of other plants.

Recently, however, the hardy date palm’s importance as a provider of shade has declined. Modern methods of preservation, coupled with the availability of imported food, has also led to changes and variety in the diet of rural people, so the significance of the date palm has lessened - in the same way as that of the camel.

However, it still retains its symbolic significance, and is widely used to break the fast during the month of Ramadan.