Tourism & Hospitality | Thursday 1 September, 2016 9:19 am |

Emir of Qassim Prince Faisal Bin Mishaal Bin Saud has promised the governorate would do everything possible to market Buraidah dates abroad and make it a major revenue source for the country.

The emir made the promise during his visit to Buraidah Dates Festival on Monday.

Prince Faisal said the move to market Buraidah dates internationally comes as part of achieving the aspirations of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 diversification program.

“Buraidah Dates Festival has achieved a great progress over the last few years and I am confident that it will help marketing this vital product not only in the Kingdom but all over the world,” the emir said.
He welcomed the Buraidah International Dates Stock Exchange run by an investor who is specialized in the field.

“The Buraidah date market is considered the largest in the world and it needs to enter the world of commodity exchanges,” he said.

The emir praised the initiative of the Turkish government to exempt Saudi dates from customs tariff. “This confirms the solid bilateral relations between the two countries as Turkey is one of the main outlets for marketing Saudi dates to Europe,” he said.

During his visit, Prince Faisal distributed prizes to winners of various competitions including the best farm, outstanding service to dates and date palms, and the best scientific work on dates and date palms. He also honored the festival’s sponsors and prominent participants.