Diriyah Governor Inaugurates Dates Season, Commends MEWA’s Role in Enhancing Saudi Date Quality
Governor of Diriyah Prince Fahd bin Saad bin Abdullah praised the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) for its efforts in developing the date production sector in the Kingdom and enhancing the quality of dates as a national product. He highlighted the ministry’s supportive programs for farmers and its strategic initiatives that add value to dates, aligning with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
The remarks came during Prince Fahd’s inauguration of the Diriyah Dates Season yesterday and its accompanying exhibition, which runs until July 24. The event is part of an initiative organized by the National Centre for Palms and Dates to boost the presence of Saudi dates locally and globally. The season offers a comprehensive experience that blends Diriyah’s heritage with economic, cultural, and social activities centered around dates and their products.
The Diriyah Dates Season features booths for date vendors, processed date products, palm by-products, and products of families working in the cottage industry. The event also includes restaurants and cafés, food trucks, workshops for adults and children, a date auction zone, and a horse parade. The Ministry of Culture is participating through a dedicated booth for artisans specializing in palm-based crafts as part of the Year of Handicrafts.
The palm and date sector in the Kingdom is witnessing rapid growth. According to 2024 data from the General Authority for Statistics, the value of date exports rose to SAR1.695 billion, and local production exceeded 1.9 million tons. Saudi dates reached 133 countries, recording a 15.9% increase compared to 2023.
This growth reflects the Kingdom’s strong production capacity and results from the efforts of MEWA and the National Centre for Palms and Dates in improving quality, expanding global outreach, and developing supply chains, all of which enhance the sector’s contribution to the national economy in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
