BURAIDAH: The Buraidah International Dates Carnival has seen a significant surge in trade and purchasing activity, driven by a steady supply of diverse date varieties and a growing influx of shoppers from across Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Cooperation Council states and international markets.
Statistics for the carnival’s first week show sales exceeded SR17.9 million ($4.8 million), with about 2,110,578 kg of dates sold.
The carnival, which continues until Sept. 10, supports trade and expands the reach of Saudi dates to local, regional and international markets through integrated transportation, shipping, packaging and distribution services that improve supply chain efficiency and preserve product quality during transit.
Shipping operations begin in the early hours alongside market activity, with specialized companies receiving, packaging and transporting prepared quantities in equipped vehicles.
Khaled Al-Naqidan, the carnival’s CEO and secretary of the higher committee, said the logistics ecosystem received the support of the governor of Qassim Region and his deputy, and emphasized the importance of integrated supply chains in supporting the dates trade.
He said transportation and shipping services covered all 13 regions of Saudi Arabia and more than 100 cities and governorates. Al-Naqidan said overland transportation served GCC countries, while air freight provided access to more than 70 countries.
He also highlighted a range of shipping solutions, including standard, express, refrigerated and frozen services, with more than 600 shipments handled daily.
The growing logistics activity accompanies expanding trade and provides seasonal opportunities for young people in loading, preparation and coordination, helping speed up operations and improve efficiency.
The Qassim Region accounts for around half of the Kingdom’s total date production, with about 11 million palm trees producing more than 580,000 tonnes annually. The sector also contributes an estimated SR3.2 billion to Qassim’s economy each year and provides more than 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.
With more than 37 million date palm trees, Saudi Arabia produces over 1.9 million tonnes of dates annually, meeting domestic demand and supporting exports to global markets.
