RIYADH — Visitors to the International Dates Exhibition, which started on Dec. 16 and will last for five days, were briefed on the efforts of the National Center for Palms and Dates (NCPD) and its international and local initiatives that contributed to raising the market value of dates and their global spread to more than 107 countries around the world.

The NCPD showed many initiatives and programs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, such as registering of as a super fruit with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 2019 and contributing, on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to approve the International Year of Dates, in 2027. The NCPD is also currently working with FAO to announce the International Day of Dates.

All international initiatives have been accomplished, including the establishment of the International Dates Conference, which was held twice, in Riyadh and Qassim, in addition to the approval of the Council of Ministers for the establishment of the International Dates Council.

Regarding the empowerment initiatives, four work tracks have been approved, namely; the agricultural empowerment, the local marketing empowerment, the investment empowerment, and the export empowerment, through the establishment of the Digital Academy for Palm and Dates, the application of "Your Agricultural Guide Program", the program of government subsidies and annual purchase.

This is in addition to the program for the prevention and control of the red palm weevil and decreasing its infection by 95%, and a platform for sales of production inputs and services, and the development of farms, in cooperation with agricultural cooperative societies, as well as the development of 500 farms in AlUla Governorate to obtain the Saudi dates mark.

Regarding the local marketing track, the NCPD was keen on the standard specifications for the most productive dates, the Saudi dates mark, certified centers for post-harvest services, the local e-commerce platform for retail, the collection centers for e-commerce, the Zakat Al-Fitr initiative and date derivatives in coffee companies, studies and marketing campaigns.

The investment track had a qualitative presence in the NCPD's programs, as it provided investment models for pre- and post-harvest service centers, investment models for the manufacturing industries of palm and dates, financing solutions of up to 70%, developing dates process industry.

In the track of export empowerment, the NCPD was keen on the fast track initiative to issue the phytosanitary certificate, the international e-commerce platform, wholesale and retail, the program to empower leading companies, and meeting the ambassadors of the largest exporting and importing countries for dates and activating communication with their attachés.

This is in addition to a committee to list the challenges facing manufacturers and exporters of dates in the Kingdom. — SPA