According to data released by the National Center for Palms and Dates (NCPD), the value of Saudi Arabia’s date exports increased by 14% in 2023, reaching SAR1.462 billion, compared to SAR1.280 billion in 2022. By the end of 2023, the number of countries importing Saudi dates had reached 119. The total value of date and date-byproduct exports increased by 152.5% since 2016, from SAR579 million in 2016 to SAR1.462 billion in 2023, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3%.
NCPD Chief Executive Dr. Mohammed Alnuwairan credits the success to collaborative efforts among the leadership, date producers and exporters, and public-sector agencies. The efforts involved participating in local and international exhibitions, organizing business missions, facilitating export procedures, and working in partnership with the private sector under a unified strategy aiming to support the date exports.—SPA