MAKKAH: When Taif claimed the top spot among Saudi Arabia’s apricot-producing regions it was no statistical fluke — it was the payoff of a long apprenticeship; generations of farming knowledge passed down, paired with an unusual fit between what the land offers and what its people are willing to put in.
Up in the Taif highlands, where the air stays mild and winter temperatures fall, conditions have proven near-perfect for apricots of rare quality and unmistakable flavor. The fruit now travels far, prized by buyers across the Kingdom and throughout the Gulf.
Nayef Al-Sufyani, among the most recognized apricot growers in Taif, told Arab News that the region’s standing is a point of pride for everyone who lives and farms there. He credited the success first to the grace of God, then to a kind climate and the hard work growers pour into their trees and their yields.
“Stone-fruit trees, apricots included, start their winter cycle when the leaves drop in December, and pruning usually begins in January — a bit earlier sometimes, depending on the variety and the season,” he said. “It is one of the most important stages of all, because it feeds directly into the quality and the size of the harvest.”
