RIYADH: As Saudi coffee earns growing international recognition as a symbol of the Kingdom’s culture, hospitality and heritage, the Asir region is leading efforts to ensure its expansion is built on sustainability.
The strategy combines mountain ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation and rural development. Authorities aim to plant 1 million coffee trees across Asir between 2026 and 2028, building on more than 634,000 trees planted between 2022 and 2025.
Asir’s coffee owes its distinctive character to the region’s unique geography and climate, where organic acids, seasonal rainfall and persistent mountain fog create a flavor profile that is increasingly competitive on the global stage.
Protecting those natural advantages is a priority for the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, known as Saudi Reef, and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. The region currently produces an estimated 1,500 tonnes of coffee cherries and 500 tonnes of green beans annually.
Speaking to Arab News about the long-term strategy underpinning the sector’s growth, Fawaz Al-Shahrani, manager of Environmental Studies at Aseer Development Authority, highlighted the collaboration driving Asir’s coffee industry.
