Saudi Date Exports Reach 1.5 Billion Tonnes in 2024

Saudi Arabia’s date exports hit 1.5 billion tonnes in 2024, up from 579 million tonnes in 2016. The Kingdom boasts 300 varieties of dates, with more than 37 million palm trees producing over 3 billion tonnes annually.

Al Qassim is the top-producing region, contributing over 578,000 tonnes annually from 10.7 million trees. Riyadh follows with 453,000 tonnes, and Medina ranks third with 343,000 tonnes. Other regions, including the Eastern Province, Asir and Tabuk, also play significant roles in production.

With 137 factories dedicated to date products, the fruit contributes to various industries such as food, cosmetics and medicine.