Saudi Gazette report

MADINAH — Dates are a staple food on the Iftar table during the holy month of Ramadan for most Muslims. More than one and a half million dates are distributed to those fasting in the Prophet's Mosque and its surrounding courtyards every day, as part of 227 packaged meals distributed to iftar tables before the Maghrib call to prayer. Each meal contains a package of seven dates, which the fasting person can eat when breaking his fast.

The types of dates distributed for iftar in the Prophet’s Mosque are varied. The date farms in Madinah produce many types, the most prominent of which are: Ruthana, Ajwa, Anbara, Safawi, Saq’i, Barni Al-Madinah, Barni Al-Ays, Bayda’ Al-Mahd, Al-Mabroum, Al-Hilya, Al-Jubaili, Al-Labbana, Al-Mashrouk, Al-Majdool, Al-Rabi’a, and Al-Shalabi.

Madinah is famous for its dates, which have a historical heritage. These dates come from plams that are spread across farms, gardens, streets, and homes, and are an integral part of the community environment.

The total number of palm trees in the Madinah region exceeds 7 million, distributed across 29,000 farms, producing some 340,000 tons of dates in different varieties. This represents approximately 18% of the total date production in Saudi Arabia. These dates are sold directly in the local market, or are stored. They are also used in some processing industries and offered to consumers in packages of different sizes, and in numerous food varieties through 44 factories specialized in date packaging and processing.