Dates in Al-Ahsa: Agricultural Crop Rooted in Saudi Cultural and Social Heritage

The Oasis of Al-Ahsa, located in the Eastern Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is renowned for its vast agricultural lands and towering palm trees. It is particularly famous for its abundant agricultural output and variety of fruits, with dates being the most prominent in the summer food basket. The oasis boasts over 2.5 million palm trees, producing more than 200,000 tons of various date varieties annually. Khalas is the top-selling variety, followed by Shishi, Shubibi, and Raziz, among others.
The National Centre for Palms and Dates (NCPD) oversees the date harvest auction season, aiming to strengthen the connection between dates and the cultural and social heritage of Al-Ahsa. Dates are a significant part of the Saudi identity, symbolizing generosity and hospitality.
The date harvest auction season began on September 12 at King Abdullah City for Dates, organized in a strategic partnership between the governorate, the municipality, the Al-Ahsa Development Authority, and the NCPD through the Dates Seasons Initiative. The auction regulates the date trade, enhances the efficiency and quality of seasonal date markets, and attracts investors and traders from Al-Ahsa and beyond.
The auction process involves receiving farmers and their date yields at King Abdullah City for Dates, organizing vehicles, packing dates in health-standard-compliant cardboard boxes, and taking random samples to the quality laboratory for inspection and grading. This initiative showcases the marketing and cultural significance of date production in Al-Ahsa and its positive contributions to the regional and national economy.