The fourth edition of the Shaqra Pepper Festival, organized by the National Company for Agricultural Services in collaboration with several government entities, has seen a significant public turnout of over 70,000 visitors since its launch on July 28.
Agricultural experts participated in specialized workshops held to contribute to boosting pepper cultivation and production in the governorate, support and enhance related manufacturing industries, achieve national food security, and increase the agricultural sector’s contribution to the GDP.
A workshop titled “Strategies for Preparing the Land for Pepper Cultivation in Shaqra” discussed several important topics, including the significance of pepper to the Saudi market, optimal environment conditions for its cultivation, soil analysis and preparation, soil testing and quality evaluation, as well as ways to improve the soil before planting, by using fertilizers and adjusting acidity.
In another workshop, titled “Manufacturing Industries and Their Role in Enhan
cing the Added Value of the Pepper Plant”, the various processing industries that use pepper and their importance to sustainable development were discussed.
The workshop “Proper Agricultural Practices for Pepper Crop in Shaqra from Planting to Harvest” tackled the best agricultural practices to improve the quantity and quality of pepper crops, especially in light of the challenges posed by climate change. It also covered topics like integrated pest management, fertilization of the pepper crops, optimal methods for preparing the soil for planting seedlings, irrigation methods and water usage, as well as harvesting pepper crops and preparing them for marketing.
Source: Saudi Press Agency