Madinah governor tours date exhibition highlighting local agriculture, handicrafts

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Madinah, with 5.6 million palm trees and an annual production of 263,000 tonnes, is central to Saudi Arabia’s food security goals and Vision 2030. (SPA)
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Prince Salman visited various sections featuring local agricultural products and industries linked to the dates sector. (SPA)
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Prince Salman visited various sections featuring local agricultural products and industries linked to the dates sector. (SPA)
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Updated 16 October 2024
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Madinah governor tours date exhibition highlighting local agriculture, handicrafts

  • Region’s 5.6m date palms central to Kingdom’s food security
  • Exhibition aims to boost production and encourage investment

RIYADH: Madinah Gov. Prince Salman bin Sultan recently toured the Madinah Dates Season exhibition near Quba Mosque which showcases local agriculture and handicrafts, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The exhibition, launched in early October, was organized by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, in partnership with the National Center for Palms and Dates and the Madinah Chamber of Commerce.

Prince Salman visited various sections featuring local agricultural products and industries linked to the dates sector.

Madinah, with 5.6 million palm trees and an annual production of 263,000 tonnes, is central to Saudi Arabia’s food security goals and Vision 2030.

Prince Salman also listened to an explanation of the exhibition areas, which featured over 50 sales outlets, a tasting and cooking area, and displays of traditional handicrafts. 

Public and private entities have been collaborating to promote agricultural initiatives, financing, and logistics services for investors, the SPA reported. 

The exhibition, which ended on Wednesday, aimed to strengthen the sector, boost production and encourage investment, in line with Vision 2030.

As a part of the event, Camp Wrth for Handicrafts, organized by the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, had workshops and live cooking demonstrations.

The exhibition featured 46 pavilions selling date products from local businesses, supporting the community and small industries.

The Madinah Dates Season, which continues until the end of the year, celebrates local agriculture, innovation and tradition, and contributes to the region’s sustainable development.

The ministry has emphasized quality production to ensure products reach global markets in peak condition. 

The season features auctions of harvests from more than 29,000 farms, highlighting a range of date varieties.


Pioneering electric bus service takes to the road in Makkah

Updated 19 December 2025
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Pioneering electric bus service takes to the road in Makkah

  • The bus rapid transit project, a system designed to have higher capacity and reliability than conventional bus services, is said to be the first of its kind in the Kingdom
  • The vehicles operate in dedicated bus lanes within a network that includes two main bus stations and 11 stops along the route connecting them

MAKKAH: A pioneering electric bus service took to the road in Makkah this week.

Electromin, the developer and operator of the service in partnership with Umm Al-Qura for Development and Construction, said it is expected to serve more than 125 million passengers over the next 15 years, while cutting carbon dioxide emissions by more than 31,500 tonnes compared with traditional vehicles.

The bus rapid transit project, a system designed to have higher capacity and reliability than conventional bus services, is said to be one of the first of its kind in the Kingdom. It was inaugurated on Wednesday by Amr Al-Dabbagh, chairperson of Al-Dabbagh Group; Samir Nawar, managing director of Petromin; and Yasser Abu Ateeq, CEO of Umm Al-Qura.

The bus rapid transit project is designed to have higher capacity and reliability than conventional bus services. (Supplied)

Electromin, a subsidiary of Petromin specializing in energy and mobility solutions, said the new service, which forms part of the Masar Destination mixed-use real estate development project in Makkah, is one the first transport networks of its kind in the country, and represents a significant shift toward a cleaner, more efficient urban transport model.

It operates in dedicated bus lanes, connecting key hubs within Masar and providing safe, reliable and environmentally friendly transportation for residents and visitors, the company added. The network includes two main bus stations and 11 stops along the route connecting them. It has been designed to serve more than 5 million visitors and pilgrims annually, and to be easily accessible to all users.

Operators say the service is designed as a foundation for Makkah’s future transportation system, through its integration with the broader Masar project, which includes pedestrian walkways, more than 5,000 parking spaces, metro services and other urban infrastructure.