The first Pakistan International Date Palm Festival began at the Expo Center in Karachi today.

The festival has been arranged by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates.

Speaking at inaugural ceremony, Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori urged the need to ensure quality of dates using modern technology to increase exports.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on the occasion said date palm cultivation plays an important role in agriculture and Pakistan ranks fifth in date cultivation in the world.