The sweeping life style changes across the Gulf region particularly in the Kingdom, neighboring Kuwait and Qatar have had little impact at least in one aspect — the consumption of the seasonal desert truffle called Faqa.
This is quite conspicuous during winter, when health-conscious citizens make a beeline for make-shift stalls or parked vehicles vending truffle. Desert truffle known as Faqa is available right after the winter rains and its demand rises with the falling mercury.
Faqa is a gastronomic treasure that can be found hidden beneath sandy soil in the north-eastern region in general and in the surrounding areas of Hafar Al-Batin and Rafah in particular. A bumper crop of the truffle, after a 9-year gap, has attracted a large number of Saudis, Kuwaitis and Qataris according to traders who spoke with Arab News over the phone.
Faqa is used in local traditional medicine for treating eye, back, knee and leg ailments and is also known for its qualities as an aphrodisiac.
The abundant supplies of Faqa in the local markets are believed to be due to the heavy rains in the Kingdom.
“A small 2-kilogram carton of Faqa commands a price ranging upward of SR2,000,” Mishal Haddal Al-Shammari a resident of Hafar Al-Batin told Arab News on Saturday. He said that “Like some hundreds of youths, I have been busy collecting Faqa in the border areas for two weeks now.”
He said that one has to have eyes like a hawk to discover the spot in desert and dig out as much of the truffle as possible.
“Faqa has provided us with a great opportunity to make some money. Two weeks ago we sold a carton for SR5,000 and now it is going for SR2,000. The prices are expected to drop further in the coming weeks,” he said.
Faqa is also available in the northern border areas of Arar, Turaif and Rahfa but the light-colored Zubaidi as it is known in Hafar Al-Batin is considered of premium quality, he explained.
Sheikh Altaf, a long-time resident of Hafar Al-Batin said that, “We have been witnessing a huge influx of Kuwaitis and citizens from other areas into Hafar to purchase Faqa.”
He said that the entire process of searching for Faqa to sel it on the roadside is done by Saudis as they are familiar with the different qualities and are able to determine the price.
The search for Faqa is largely concentrated in Kuwait, Iraq and the bordering areas where hunters often trespass into restricted zones on the borders.
Admiral Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, spokesperson of the General Directorate of Border Guards has warned that “Border Guards will not tolerate anyone moving around the border areas in search of Faqa.” He added that Border Guards have noted an increasing presence and movement of people in the bordering areas in search of Faqa.
Connoisseurs scour desert in hunt for truffles
Connoisseurs scour desert in hunt for truffles
Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks with Swiss foreign minister
- two ministers discussed developments of common interest and efforts made by both countries in those areas
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke on the phone with his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis on Thursday.
During the call, the two ministers discussed developments of common interest and efforts made by both countries in those areas, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Cassis was in the Kingdom last month to attend the Special Meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Riyadh on April 28 and 29, during which he met with Prince Faisal.
Prince Faisal and Cassis also met earlier in the year in February during UN meetings in Geneva.
Saudi FM discusses preparations for Expo 2030 with BIE chief
- During the meeting, the two officials discussed the Kingdom’s preparations to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh
- “We underlined the importance of careful planning to deliver a transformational World Expo in 2030,” Kerkentzes said
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received the Secretary-General of the Bureau International des Expositions Dimitri Kerkentzes in Riyadh on Thursday.
During the meeting, the two officials discussed the Kingdom’s preparations to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh and coordination to ensure that the exhibition would be “exceptional,” Saudi Press Agency reported.
Writing on social media platform X, Kerkentzes said: “We underlined the importance of careful planning to deliver a transformational World Expo in 2030.”
The BIE chief met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday.
World Expo 2030 will be hosted in Riyadh after the Kingdom defeated challenges from South Korea and Italy to host the prestigious event in November 2023.
Female students take top prizes at university’s Engineering Hackathon
- 88 teams from the Eastern Province took part in the event at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University
- Team Al-Farahidi took first place with its Aram project, which aims to help prevent sleepwalking
RIYADH: Teams of female students took the top three prizes at Engineering Hackathon 24, which concluded on Wednesday at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University in Dammam.
A total of 88 teams of male and female students from the Eastern Province took part in the event, which began on April 27, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Murad Al-Thubaiti, dean of the university’s College of Engineering, welcomed the high level of participation by students from universities across the province, and said 16 teams were chosen as finalists to present their projects, which covered a variety of specializations.
Team Al-Farahidi took first place with its Aram project, which aims to help prevent sleepwalking. The members were Nada Al-Dosari, Sarah Al-Nami, Manal Al-Tamimi and Nihal Al-Suhaibani.
Second spot went to Al-Khawarizmi, a team comprising Fatima Shuwaiheen, Fatima Al-Baik, Hawraa Al-Suwaiket, Walaa Al-Sulays and Amani Al-Saeedi, who designed a device that helps isolate cardiac signals from background noise.
Team Al-Battani was awarded third place for its system to help surgeons deal with stress. Its members were Hawraa Al-Wael, Dahhouk Al-Sabaa and Zainab Bou Moza.
Al-Thubaiti said activities such as the hackathon are an essential element for the development of students’ personalities and helping them prepare for the future.
Illegal workers in Riyadh region arrested after changing expiry dates on food products
- Seized products included 248,000 chicken stock cubes weighing 8 grams, 4,600 potato chip products, 2,900 soy sauces, and 1,500 pasta sauces
- A laser device used to print new production dates was also seized
RIYADH: Illegal workers at a farm in Riyadh region’s Huraymila governorate were arrested after they were caught by the Saudi Ministry of Commerce changing the expiry dates on products, Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
A 3.00 a.m. raid was carried out in cooperation with Riyadh region police and Huraymila governorate police after expired products that were seized in the possession of expatriates a few hours earlier were traced back to the farm.
Seized products included 248,000 chicken stock cubes weighing 8 grams, 4,600 potato chip products, 2,900 soy sauces, and 1,500 pasta sauces. The products were later destroyed. A laser device used to print new production dates was also seized.
The workers were referred to the competent authorities so that deterrent measures could be taken against them in accordance with the provisions of the anti-commercial fraud law.
The ministry said that violators of the anti-commercial fraud law could be imprisoned for up to three years, fined up to SR 1 million ($266,623), or receive both punishments. They could also be deported, the ministry added.
Saudi Arabia calls for unified Arab efforts to confront environmental challenges
- Minister Abdulrahman Al-Fadli spoke of biodiversity and the Arab region’s natural resources
- Al-Fadli said that the region was capable of utilizing technology and innovation
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadli has stressed the importance of regional action to combat environmental challenges facing the Middle East and North Africa region and the world, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.
Speaking during the 38th meeting of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development in Riyadh, the minister spoke of biodiversity, the area’s natural resources and the range of agricultural environments, while stressing the challenges facing the region. He called for a united effort to reduce the impact on the region’s peoples.
Al-Fadli said that the Arab region was capable of utilizing technology and innovation, as well as seizing opportunities to invest in agriculture and improve practices to become more productive, efficient and sustainable in the use of water and natural resources.
He said enhancing trade, regional and international cooperation, and the benefits of international organizations were sources of optimism.
The minister said that the Arab region could take advantage of opportunities in technology, innovation and investment in agriculture by improving practices to make the utilization of water and natural resources more productive, efficient and sustainable.
Ibrahim Al Dukhairi, the director general of the organization, pledged his support for sustainability and agricultural development in the region, along with the development of the Arab landscape and food security.
He pointed out the significance of strategies to launch the necessary initiatives and partnerships to achieve the region’s goals.
