The Royal Commission for AlUla has launched the Khayrat AlUla agricultural season to strengthen AlUla’s agricultural sector, improve production efficiency, and empower farmers in support of the governorate’s sustainable development goals.
The season builds on the commission’s efforts to create a more efficient and sustainable agricultural ecosystem through digital governance, stronger value chains, and the promotion of local produce.
These efforts include surveying and registering more than 4.2 million palm trees, with in excess of 1.5 million enrolled in a smart QR code tracking system to improve quality and support marketing and exports.
AlUla has more than 20,500 hectares of cultivated land, producing about 130,000 tonnes of dates and 14,000 tonnes of citrus fruits annually from more than 400,000 citrus trees.
These achievements support the commission’s 2035 targets of increasing agricultural output to SR1.8 billion ($480 million) and date sales to SR1.507 billion, including SR1.226 billion in exports.
The commission also provides advisory, technical and veterinary services to more than 7,100 farmers, along with specialized training to build skills, increase the number of farms earning the Saudi Dates Mark, and improve the quality and competitiveness of local produce.
As part of its sustainability efforts, the commission is implementing circular economy initiatives and natural resource management measures, including converting agricultural by-products into more than 334,000 cubic meters of organic compost and reducing water consumption by 47 percent by 2035.
The initiatives also include modern irrigation systems and monitoring tools covering more than 4,000 hectares in Fadla, Hegra, Al-Munshiyah and Dadan.
The Khayrat AlUla season enhances the visitor experience through a seasonal program that links local produce with AlUla’s identity as a sustainable destination, showcasing the oasis’s diverse crops and harvest seasons in a cultural and economic setting.
The season also provides marketing and business platforms that bring together farmers, cottage industry families, entrepreneurs, local businesses, visitors and investors, promoting local produce, creating new economic opportunities, and linking agriculture with AlUla’s growing cultural and economic appeal.
