Riyadh: Women and girls from the Madinah region made their presence felt at the 2024 Madinah Dates Season exhibition, which was held next to Quba Mosque.
They conducted arts and cooking workshops, organized the crowd flow, participated in marketing, and displayed various types of dates and date by-products, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
Malak Al-Juhani, a date vendor who was participating in the exhibition for a second time, said that her experience and enhanced marketing skills had contributed to increased sales and helped her cater to visitors seeking popular, sought-after dates.
Chef Enayat Anbar Khan, who has over 17 years of experience in the field, said that her workshops on date processing and traditional crafts improved skills and knowledge and helped women exchange experiences.
She added that the tasting and cooking section offered consultations on the nutritional value of dates, as well as a variety of recipes.
A group of women specialized in sewing, embroidery, engraving, and wood carving were also participating to showcase key professional skills in these fields and to train visitors to the exhibition.
Sections featuring families working in the cottage industry displayed over 30 varieties of traditional dishes, along with various date-based juices and other products.
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.
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.
The season features auctions of harvests from more than 29,000 farms, highlighting a range of date varieties, including anbara, ajwa, safawi, barhi, khudri, sukkari, and medjool.
