Date Exports from Saudi Arabia Exceed USD 340 Mn, says Agriculture Ministry

According to the International Trade Center, the Saudi Arabia exported more than 300 different types of dates, ranking first in value among 113 countries.

According to the Saudi News Agency, the number of importing countries will reach 116 in 2022, with date quantities produced exceeding an anticipated 1.54 million tonnes.

The Kingdom has about 33 million palm trees and over 123,000 agricultural holdings spread throughout 13 regions of the country. The palm and dates industries both contribute significantly to various important manufacturing industries, including food and fodder, medical items, cosmetic products, and building materials, among others.

Dates are a staple in Saudi households, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. This is mostly due to dates' high nutritional content and the fact that they contain essential nutrients that the body need, especially after fasting for long periods of time.

Nutritionists recommend eating dates for breakfast since they supply the body with energy, activity, and vigour. This is due to the fact that dates include natural sugars like sucrose, glucose, and fructose, as well as acids, proteins, and vitamins like A, B, C, and E.

Dates contain potassium, sulphur, phosphorus, iron, sodium, zinc, and magnesium, and are known to lower blood cholesterol. During Ramadan, the Kingdom's marketplaces frequently see a surge in demand for dates, the most popular of which are Ajwa, Anbara, and Al-Safawi, among others.