RIYADH In the first quarter of 2024, Saudi Arabia’s palm and date industry saw a 13.7 percent increase in exports over the same period the previous year.
Given that the Kingdom wants to become the world’s most popular destination for dates, this food division is thought to play a major role in increasing GDP and diversifying revenue streams.
Recent data from the National Centre for Palm and Dates shows that the value increased significantly in different countries, coming in at SR644 million ($171.7 million) instead of SR566 million in the first quarter of 2023.
From SR1.280 billion in 2022 to SR1.462 billion in 2023, the value reported by NCPD increased by 14%. Saudi dates were imported by 119 different nations by the end of 2023.
Saudi Arabia’s export portfolio includes derivatives such as pastes, molasses, and others, as Mohammed Al-Nuwairan, CEO of NCPD, highlighted in an interview with Arab News in March. This sector’s diversification strengthens its export presence outside the Kingdom.
Dates from Saudi Arabia are being exported to East Asian countries, particularly to Singapore, which is located in the middle of the countries China, Indonesia, and Malaysia are specifically targeting for the export of dates and their derivatives. Saudi dates are in high demand because they are high in nutritional value and production quality, he said at the time.
Also Read:
Signed an Agreement to strengthen Cooperation, Dubai Chambers and Invest Seoul
