Sales at the Buraidah date market have yielded SR160 million since the start of the date festival 20 days ago, reporting average daily sales of SR8 million.
Salih Al-Ahmed, mayor of the Qasim Region, said the Buraidah date market has become a key date collection center and is receiving 950 vehicles daily loaded with a variety of dates coming from some six million date palms from across the region.
Meanwhile, dealers predicted that daily sales will reach SR20 million during peak season, which will last for another month. “Saqi” and “khulas” dates are being sold at high prices, but the “sukkari” brand remains predominantly in demand, dealers said.
For his part, Ali Al-Faizi, a date palm farmer, said production is distinctive and that most produce is of lucrative quality and sold at high prices. Nevertheless, prices remain lower than the previous year due to increased production and over-supply.
“Everyone is looking for quality and good prices and farmers have benefited from the daily turnout at the market. Some quote prices of over SR200 for a 3-kg pack and others less than SR100 for the same type depending on size and color,” he noted.
Khalid Al-Naqeedan, CEO of the Buraidah date festival, said the first days of the festival achieved satisfactory revenues for farmers.
He predicted that the coming days would be crucial, with an expected record mark of more than SR600 million within 30 days.
There was a significant participation from GCC countries, notably Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Date dealers and brokers came from within the Kingdom and abroad to buy and export large quantities of dates to different parts of the world, he said.
He said more than 40 percent of dates are normally stored in special refrigerators for the following Ramadan every year.
In this context, Abdulaziz Al-Tuwaijri said date traders have a good opportunity to sell 10 to 20 percent of stored dates in the upcoming Haj season, while another 30 percent is sold during the season. The remaining percentage is marketed during the holy month of Ramadan.
Buraidah date sales hit SR160m
Buraidah date sales hit SR160m
National wildlife center launches training program for rangers
RIYADH: The National Center for Wildlife has launched a new training program to improve rangers’ skills in capturing, transporting and monitoring animals, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The program starts with “proper wildlife handling during transport, progressing through capture methods and post-release monitoring, and concluding with the evaluation of designated release sites,” the center said.
Its goal is to unify procedures for wildlife translocation and release, strengthen ranger readiness, ensure the environmental and administrative suitability of release sites, and enhance the overall efficiency of field implementation, the report said.
The training included visits to the King Khalid Wildlife Research Center, which is equipped with a veterinary clinic and laboratories, as well as a number of hands-on exercises.
The NCW said the program was part of its ongoing efforts to build specialized national competencies in wildlife management, reinforce reintroduction programs, safeguard biodiversity and contribute to more effective reserve management and the achievement of the Kingdom’s environmental sustainability goals.
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