Saudi Arabia's Date Palm Industry: Key Figures and Global Impact
Environment, Water, and Agriculture Minister Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli highlighted the importance of date palms in Saudi Arabia, noting the country hosts over 200 million trees on 1.5 million hectares, producing 9.7 million tons of dates primarily for the Middle East and North Africa market.
During the International Dates Council's third session in Riyadh, attended by global agricultural leaders, Al-Fadhli revealed annual date exports from 40 countries reach 1.8 million tons, worth $2.3 billion.
He announced the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's endorsement of Saudi Arabia's initiative to declare 2027 the International Year of Date Palm, aiming to spotlight the sector's role in sustainable agriculture and food security.
Al-Fadhli concluded with optimism for impactful resolutions to strengthen the council's governance and effectiveness.