Sales at Buraydah Dates Festival jumped last year to SAR2.8 billion, while it had fluctuated in previous years between SAR1.8 billion and SAR2 billion.

Festival CEO Dr. Khaled Al-Nuqidan said that the higher production of dates is due to the high number of palm trees, grown due to the efforts of the Principality of the Qassim Region and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture which supports farmers, cares for the palm trees, comes up with better sales techniques, and ensures that the dates meet the international quality specifications and standards required for export.

According to statistics issued by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Qassim is home to 12,327 farms with over 11,200,000 palm trees that produce over 320,000 tons of dates annually; sales continue to grow every year.

According to statistics, the number of palm trees producing dates reached 8 million, or 75% of the total number of palm trees in the region. In the coming years, 3 million new palm trees producing high-quality dates are expected to be added.

Qassim farms aspire to acquire the Saudi Dates Mark, a trademark granted by the National Center for Palms and Dates that indicates compliance with international markets requirements.

Source: Saudi Press Agency