RIYADH: Diriyah Gov. Prince Fahd bin Saad bin Abdullah has praised the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture for developing the date production sector in the Kingdom and enhancing the quality of dates as a national product.
He highlighted the ministry’s support programs for farmers and initiatives that add value to dates, aligning with Vision 2030 goals, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
His remarks came during the inauguration of the Diriyah Dates Season and accompanying exhibition, which runs until July 24.
The event, organized by the National Center for Palms and Dates, aims to boost the sale of Saudi dates locally and globally, and provide an insight into Diriyah’s heritage through cultural and social activities.
The exhibition features booths for date vendors, processed date products, palm by-products and items from family-run cottage industries. It also has restaurants, cafes, food trucks, workshops for adults and children, a date auction zone and a horse parade.
The Ministry of Culture is also represented with a booth showcasing artisans specializing in palm-based crafts as part of the Year of Handicrafts.
The Kingdom’s palm and date sector is growing rapidly. According to figures from the General Authority for Statistics production surpassed 1.9 million tonnes in 2024, with SR1.7 billion ($453 million) worth of dates exported to 133 countries, up significantly from the previous year.
This growth reflects the Kingdom’s strong production capacity and government efforts to improve quality, expand global outreach and develop supply chains.
