Saudi Reef Achieves Milestone with Successful Trial of Prickly Pear Washing Line

The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program (Saudi Reef) has announced the successful adoption of a new trial to establish a washing line for prickly pear fruit to remove its characteristic thorns. This process aims to ensure the fruit reaches consumers free of thorns, thereby increasing its appeal and demand.

 This success is expected to facilitate the utilization of the large quantities of fruit harvested annually, as thorns previously damaged over 95% of the fruit, leaving them unpicked on the plants and exposing producers to significant financial losses.

 Prickly pears are known for their high nutritional value and are cultivated in several regions across the Kingdom, including Aseer, Al-Baha, Riyadh, Al-Jouf, and Madinah. The harvest season typically begins in mid-summer and continues into early autumn.

 Notably, prickly pears are among the key products supported by Saudi Reef within the fruit sector, contributing to food security and improving the incomes of small-scale farmers and rural producers.