Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli emphasized the significant role of the date palm industry.

He revealed that more than 200 million palm trees spread across 1.5 million hectares annually yield an impressive 9.7 million tons of dates.

This production is primarily concentrated in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Al-Fadhli shared these insights during the third session of the International Dates Council in Riyadh, attended by agriculture ministers and representatives from companies involved in date production and importation globally.

Highlighting the global impact of date exports, he stated that 40 countries contribute to the export of 1.8 million tons of dates, generating a substantial $2.3 billion in revenue.

In a forward-looking move, Al-Fadhli announced that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has embraced Saudi Arabia's proposal to designate 2027 as the International Year of Date Palm.

This initiative aims to enhance awareness of the palm and dates sector's pivotal role in sustainable rural agricultural development and food security.

Concluding his statement, the minister expressed optimism that the meeting would lead to resolutions reinforcing the council's governance and enabling it to efficiently fulfill its role.