Saudi Arabia announced achieving 124% self-sufficiency in dates, exceeding 1.6 million tons of production annually, supported by the cultivation of 165,000 hectares of palm trees.
The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture announced in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on achieving the Kingdom’s self-sufficiency rate The self-production of dates reached 124%, with an annual production exceeding 1.6 million tons, in a step that reflects the great expansion in palm cultivation and the date industry, within the targets Saudi Vision 2030.
Expansion of palm cultivation
The report issued by the ministry indicates that palm cultivation covers a vast area of up to 165,000 hectares of the Kingdom’s land, confirming the significant growth witnessed by the date industry in the country. The ministry has launched the “Harvest Season” campaign to enhance knowledge of agricultural products and raise awareness of the diverse options of seasonal fruits.
Riyadh and Qassim in the lead
Riyadh region topped the list of the largest producers of dates in Saudi Arabia, with an annual production of 436,112 tons, followed by Qassim region with a production of 390,698 tons. Madinah came in third place with a production of 263,283 tons, while the Eastern region contributed 203,069 tons of annual production.
Contributions of other regions to date production
In addition to the main regions, other regions contribute to date production as follows: Hail with 73,298 tons, Al-Jouf with 65,020 tons, Makkah with 64,095 tons, Asir with 55,225 tons, Tabuk with 52,792 tons, Najran with 9,837 tons, Al-Baha with 2,969 tons, the Northern Borders with 1,314 tons, and Jazan with 111 tons.
Supporting local farmers in Saudi Arabia
The ministry explained that this success enhances the Kingdom’s ability to achieve self-sufficiency in this field, and reflects the efforts made by the ministry and its affiliated entities to develop the palm industry and improve the quality of production. The “Harvest Season” campaign also aims to support local farmers by enhancing the production and use of local products and raising the efficiency of the marketing system for locally produced fruits.
“Harvest Season” Campaign Objectives
The “Harvest Season” campaign aims to spread awareness about the various types of local fruits and their availability in different seasons throughout the year. It also seeks to raise the standards of quality and safety of local products, and increase consumer awareness of seasonal options, which contributes to supporting farmers and increasing their financial returns.
