BURAIDAH — A shortage of temporary workers following the amnesty period the government has granted to illegal expatriates has severely hit farmers and traders during the dates harvesting season, which began this month and lasts for 30 days. Most of the workers have either left the country or returned to work for their original sponsors. This shortage has created problems for merchants who purchase date futures from farmers and harvest them themselves by hiring expatriate workers. A trader said that he usually hires workers one month ahead of the harvesting season, but is finding difficulty now to find such workers. Others believe that workers' fees this year will double due to the shortage of available labor who used to come to Al-Ahsa from different parts of the Kingdom looking for work during the dates harvesting season. Some also believe that this situation will end by the end of the amnesty period on Nov. 3, 2013. Meanwhile, sales in the Dates City in Buraidah have grown during the first five days of Buraidah Dates Festival, reaching SR9 million. The figures were registered by brokers working for the farmers and based on daily sales figures. The executive president of the Buraidah Dates Festival Dr. Khaled Al-Neqaidan said the market is still at its beginning stages and expected to reach its peak at the end of August. Al-Neqaidan said over 950 pickup trucks loaded with different kinds of dates enter the market from the date farms in different governorates of Qassim. He said Sukkari dates form 80 percent of the dates offered for sale and expected the season to be long due to the low temperatures. Broker Ibrahim Al-Ghaith said the flurry of activity in the market has started increasing due to the presence of the large numbers of buyers. Another broker, Nasser Al-Ammar, said Sukkari dates have registered the highest prices this season, reaching SR450 for a 3 kg pack. There are more than 45 types of dates at the festival that will continue for 75 days. Qassim Municipality head Saleh Al-Ahmad said the municipality has prepared all the facilities for the dates' season this year. He added that the market will provide 3,000 jobs for Saudis. Ali Al-Rashid, one of Qassim's well-established farmers, said this year's harvest will provide farmers with good returns. He added that there is a 20 percent increase in the number of fruit bearing palm trees in Qassim. The Buraidah dates festival is considered among the most significant showpieces of dates in the world. Dates brokers auction the dates in the traditional way, by announcing the arrival of dates shipments to the festival. The festival began more than 50 years ago at Al-Jardah market before it was moved to its current location.
