His Excellency Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Eng. Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Alfadley took part today in the meeting of the third session of the International Dates Council. The meeting was held today in Riyadh with the participation of several agricultural ministers and representatives of many date-producing and importing countries.
During his remark, Alfadley stated that palm cultivation had figured prominently in societies, with the total area under cultivation of 1.5 million hectares, comprising 200 million palm trees. Additionally, the annual date production is 9.7 million tons across date-producing countries around the world.
He pointed out that the palm and date sector faces many challenges, including climate change, diseases and pests, and other issues. To overcome these challenges and maximize the advantages of this vital sector, the International Dates Council was established. This council aims to coordinate efforts and promote global cooperation in the development of production capabilities and make the palm and date sector more competitive.
In conclusion, His Excellency Minister Alfadley mentioned that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) approved Saudi Arabia's proposal to establish observance of the International Year of Date Palm in 2027. He expressed the hope that the meeting would contribute to adopting decisions that improve the governance of the Council and enable it to perform its role with high efficiency.