The National Center for Palm and Dates has revealed a rise in the value of Saudi dates exports, during the first quarter of 2018 by 11.7% to reach SR222.4 million compared to the same period, in 2017. Pointing out that the growth of exports, in the first quarter of this year, is a continuation of the growth rate at 31.2%, during the last two years, where the exports of Saudi dates in 2017 posted about SR702.9 million compared to the exports, in 2015, which amounted to SR535.7, the center added. This achievement comes as a result of the efforts of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the National Center for Palm and Dates to facilitate export procedures, organize meetings of importers and exporters from inside and outside the Kingdom, invite major dates importers, in the world, and the holding the World Dates Conference in Riyadh. Importers of dates in the world, participants representing food companies and international hotels, made a number of sales transactions, during the conference. The Kingdom is home to more than 28.5 million palm trees, the center stated, adding that the total production of the Kingdom of dates is estimated, at 1.3 million tons. The palm plantation area is about 107,000 hectares, with more than 123,000 palms.
