BURAIDAH: This year’s Buraidah International Dates Carnival opens on Saturday and runs through Oct. 14. The annual event brings together farmers, traders, and importers from across the Kingdom and abroad.
The carnival also features cultural, tourism, and entertainment activities at several venues, including a rural farm showcasing the agricultural heritage of the Qassim region, as well as cultural and community events at King Khalid Cultural Center.
The carnival reflects the scale of the palm and dates sector in the Qassim region, which is home to more than 11 million date palm trees and produces about 578,000 tonnes of dates annually.
The event generates an estimated SR3.2 billion ($854 million) in economic activity each year and creates more than 4,000 jobs — direct or indirectly.
The carnival also promotes investment and partnerships across the food and agriculture sectors, supporting the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to develop and diversify the economy.
