RIYADH: The World of Dates Exhibition draws to a close on Thursday — with initial export contracts signed with new markets in both Asia and Africa.
The event was organized by the National Center for Palms and Dates at King Saud University whose CEO, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Sahlawi, said the intention was to place Saudi dates on shelves of major global retail chains “to reach the end consumer directly.”
He added: “We are seeking partnerships with major international food companies to incorporate Saudi dates into their food products.”
Al-Sahlawi told Arab News efforts were also under way to expand the presence of Saudi dates on global e-commerce platforms, including Alibaba and Amazon. He highlighted several programs supporting farmers, from agricultural guidance and online training to the Muzarie (Farmer) platform, which offers products and services as well as in-kind subsidies to improve quality.
During the exhibition, which opened on Nov. 25, the center demonstrated its new e-guidance platform, allowing farmers to interact with the highlighted technologies.
