Fans of the tasty Bahraini loz gathered at the Farmers’ Market in Hoorat A’ali for yesterday’s inauguration of the Loz Festival 2026.
Popular across the Gulf region and beyond, the sweet and sour summer fruit will be available at the three-day event, which was inaugurated by National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD) secretary general Shaikha Maram bint Isa Al Khalifa at the bazaar in the presence of other officials and guests.
Shaikha Maram with other officials at the event
Additionally, loz-inspired products like pickles and fresh juice will also be sold.
Originally yellowish green in colour, the fruit turns pinkish red as it ripens. Inside, the red or pale yellow pulp houses a highly-prized edible seed or ‘sloom’. Some might say, loz tastes like a mix of guava and pear.
The Hoorat A’ali Farmers’ Market has been hosting the Loz Festival for years. Launched in 2018, the agricultural hub is supported by NIAD and was developed in partnership with Bahrain Development Bank to empower local Bahraini farmers and productive families.
Ismael Farm located in Salmabad, among the beneficiaries, has been witnessing a handsome harvest of the summer fruit for the last 40 years. Presently, it produces close to 200kg daily during the season from June to October.
Mr Ismael
“My father planted the first tree on our farm and now his children have taken over the family enterprise,” Jaffar Ismael told the GDN. “We sell different varieties of loz, including Habban and Iskandarani. They come medium-sized and ‘VIP’ sized, which is most sought after. While both are sweet treats, the VIP loz is a lot bigger,” he added.
The Habban variety is available for around 40 days starting in June and usually sells for about BD8 per kilogram. The VIP, which need more humidity to thrive, appear in July through August and cost a little more.
“We have smaller sized loz as well that usually sells for BD10 per three kilos,” added Fakhriya Ismael, who is actively involved with the farm along with her brothers.
Loz grows on a large tropical tree of the leadwood tree family and is also known as Indian Almond. They are often wrongly confused with the Green Almond (Loz Akhdar) or loquat – a different fruit. The edible seeds or ‘sloom’ are a delicacy in Bahrain and highly-prized as they are difficult to extract.
Mr Sabt
“Another local organic variety that is more tart than sweet comes much later and continues until the end of October,” added Ebrahim Sabt from Karranah. “Loz has been trending for the last 15 years but the fruit has been growing in Bahrain long before that,” added the farm owner, who has been participating at Hoorat A’ali Farmers’ Market since its inception.
Sprawling 1,875sqm, the bazaar has close to 50 stalls, selling fresh produce and other artisanal goods like spices, honey and halwa (sweet). Visitors will also find ethnic crafts like handwoven baskets and a dedicated Bahraini breakfast area, all nodding to the ‘local’ spirit of the initiative.
Hues of green, yellow and red
The market’s primary goals are to promote food security, support local Bahraini farmers, and highlight the advancements in Bahrain’s agricultural sector. In addition to the weekly operations, seasonal festivals are staged for mulberries, loz, dates, palm trees and more.
During the annual mulberry festival held at the market earlier this year, halwa expert Sayed Maitham from Sitra sold more than 1,000 boxes of his popular mulberry variety in under two weeks. He noted that it is not economical to make loz halwa as the process is tedious. However, he revealed that fruit is used to make a variety of loz-inpired goods like pickles and a special crispy bread that is popular among the market’s regular patrons.
Other produce at the market
Bahraini Loz ice cream or gelato is a widely-popular summer treat known for its unique balance of tangy, sweet and refreshing nutty flavours. Highly sought after by residents and visitors alike, it is available at most local ice cream parlours.
“There is fresh loz juice available here as well for those who might want to try it,” said the creative entrepreneur, who has been making the traditional gelatinous dessert for years. “The dates festival starts next month and we will be making date halwa, which is a must-try!” he added.
Ms Ahmed
Amongst the diverse recipes made with the summer fruit is a special loz and beetroot pickle. Noof Ahmed from Muharraq came up with the recipe two years ago and, like in the past, is set to sell around 50kg this season. The entrepreneur makes a variety of jams, pickles and sauces under her banner Red Tomatoes, which she launched seven years ago. “My recipe balances sweet, sour and spicy and the pickle can be eaten with bread, rice or even as a topping with crisps,” said the passionate cook.
In addition to the flavours it inspires, loz also offers respite from the summer heat. Not to forget the many mutli-vitamin benefits, which makes it popular among health-conscious residents.
n The Loz Festival will run until tomorrow at Hoorat A’ali Farmers’ Market, from 8am to 3pm.
melissa@gdnmedia.bh
Health Benefits
Bahraini Loz is a highly nutritious-seasonal fruit rich in antioxidants and vitamins E andA, as well as dietary fibre. The pulp also helps support healthy vision, improves digestion and provides essential potassium. While you can eat the fruit as is, many enthusiasts enjoy the summer staple with a pinch of salt.
NIAD for ‘local’
The Farmers Market initiative was launched by NIAD and is organised annually at the Budaiya Botanical Gardens. This year’s edition will be inaugurated in December when the weather cools down. However, NIAD followed this successful programme with the launch of a permanent market for farmers as a qualitative platform to encourage and promote local products – at Hoorat A’ali. NIAD also organises continuous training programmes and specialised agricultural workshops and courses for the public, featuring speakers and experts from inside and outside the kingdom.
For more information about NIAD’s project and achievements, visit niadbh.com
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