Palms, dates sector’s value in Saudi Arabia amounts to SR7.5 BN……

The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) inaugurated the second edition of the Seasonal Dates Exhibition in Riyadh.
The 2nd edition of the exhibition, which will last for 60 days, is organized by MEWA in partnership with the Riyadh Municipality, and the National Center for Palms and Dates (NCPD), with the participation of a number of agriculture associations.

The exhibition aims to support the palms dates sector, whose contribution amounts to about SR7.5 billion, or 12% from the total agricultural output of Saudi Arabia.

The date exhibition in Riyadh is a seasonal economic and agricultural gathering that contributes in supporting and enhancing the promotion of the agricultural products, as well as promoting the local agricultural and farmers.

It will last for 2 months and be open from 4:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. at the Rawabi marker for fruits and vegetables (Riyadh Seasonal Dates Market). More than 50 farmers are participating in the exhibition, which include several products derived from dates from various regions of the Kingdom.

The director general of the General Department of Agricultural Associations and Marketing at MEWA Suleiman Al-Jutaili indicated that the exhibition aims to enhance the marketing climate for dates in Riyadh, as well as providing a suitable environment to increase the benefits for farmers, investors, and consumers.

It targets farmers having the Saudi Dates mark and the certificate of organic farming and quality, he said, adding that the exhibition is seeking to activate the farmers’ role in promoting their crops and displaying them directly inside the exhibition.

From his side, Acting Director of MEWA’s Branch in Riyadh, Fahad Al-Hamzi said that the Ministry organizing and holding such exhibitions annually at the level of the Kingdom represents a great opportunity in enhancing the national economy, as well as exporting dates, and strengthening the concept of local investment.

He confirmed that so many companies and economic projects have benefited from the exhibition in producing products related with dates and their derivatives.

The exhibition enables the farmers to promote their products and benefit from the financial return, in order to develop their agricultural businesses for free, by providing them with a fully equipped special corner to display and sell their products.

It is worth mentioning that Saudi Arabia ranked first in the world in date exports for the year 2021 in terms of value, amounting to SR12.15 billion.

The Riyadh region produces more than 400,000 tons of dates, representing 24% of the total production of the Kingdom.

There are more than 33 million palm trees in Saudi Arabia, repressing 27% from the total of palms in the world. While the number of palm agricultural holdings in the Kingdom has reached 123,000.

Saudi Arabia has worked on international and local initiatives that have contributed to raising the market value of dates, represented by the establishment of the National Center for Palms and Dates, and the International Dates Council with the membership of 11 producing countries.

Source: Saudi Gazette