November 11, Manama (BNA): In collaboration with the National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD) and STC Bahrain, the Bahraini Farmers’ Market is back for a new season, according to Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak.
Municipalities Minister announces the opening date of Farmers’ Market’s new season
The market, which will bring together Bahraini farmers, regional companies, and craftspeople, will open at the Budaiya Botanical Garden from November 29 to February 14, 2026.
Al Mubarak emphasized His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s continued strong royal support for the agriculture sector, which he views as a crucial component of the country’s food security. He pointed out that under the direction of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, this royal vision has been converted into concrete initiatives to advance the industry and promote private investment in agriculture.
The minister commended the long-standing collaboration with the National Initiative for Agricultural Development, headed by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, His Majesty the King’s wife and chairperson of the NIAD Advisory Council, which has been crucial to the market’s sustained prosperity and viability.
Additionally, he praised the private sector’s involvement, as exemplified by STC Bahrain, whose continued backing enhances the market’s function in fostering agricultural innovation and marketing regional produce.
According to Al Mubarak, the market this season will include 32 Bahraini farmers in addition to local handicrafts, nurseries, honey producers, and agricultural businesses. In order to enhance the visiting experience, it will also have a variety of cafés and restaurants, family-run booths, and instructive and entertaining activities for kids. In order to better meet local demand, he continued, the market offers a direct marketing platform that connects farmers with consumers and promotes product innovation and diversification.
His Majesty the King’s backing continues to be the cornerstone of national efforts to increase local agricultural production, according to Her Highness Shaikha Maram bint Isa Al Khalifa, Secretary-General of the National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD). She also praised the Prime Minister’s and HRH the Crown Prince’s orders to guarantee the sector’s expansion through ongoing investment and facilitation.
The close monitoring of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Consort of His Majesty the King and Chairperson of the Advisory Council of the National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD), has been crucial in advancing the sector and increasing efficiency and productivity, according to Shaikha Maram. She pointed out that the Bahraini Farmers’ Market has developed into a prominent national venue that draws thousands of tourists from Bahrain and overseas, demonstrating the public’s growing trust in locally made items and solidifying the market’s standing as a significant platform for Bahraini farmers.
While advocating for increased private sector participation in agricultural development efforts, she also emphasized the ministry’s and NIAD’s close collaboration in delivering programs to benefit farmers.
The CEO of STC Bahrain, Khalid Al Aseeri, reaffirmed the company’s ongoing support for the Farmers’ Market, characterizing the collaboration as a component of STC’s larger dedication to sustainable growth and community involvement.
Al Aseeri expressed the company’s delight in contributing to an effort that helps national agriculture and boosts the local economy, saying that STC’s partnership with the ministry and NIAD offers a valuable chance to empower Bahraini farmers and promote locally produced commodities.
