Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia exported 321,000 tons of dates in 2022 worth 1.28 billion Saudi Riyals ($342 million), marking a 5.4 percent growth compared to the previous year.
The growth trend is even more impressive when considering the long-term figures. In 2022, the Kingdom’s dates exports surged by a remarkable 121 percent compared to 2016. Back then, the total export volume stood at 134,000 tons valued at 579 million Saudi Riyals ($154 million).
In the first quarter of 2023, the upward trajectory continued, with Saudi dates exports rising by 2.5 percent year on year, exceeding 566 million Saudi Riyals ($151 million). The dates found their way to 111 countries, reflecting their global popularity and demand.
The Saudi Ministry, responsible for agriculture, highlighted that the Kingdom boasts a wide variety of dates, with over 300 types produced annually. This productivity is the result of embracing cutting-edge technologies and upholding the highest quality standards.
A contributing factor to this success is the Kingdom’s vast palm tree plantations, totaling over 34 million across various regions. Among these, Qassim boasts 11.2 million palms, Madinah with 8.3 million, Riyadh with 7.7 million, and the Eastern Region with 4.1 million palm trees.
With this extraordinary surge in dates production and exports, Saudi Arabia has firmly positioned itself as a global leader in the dates industry.