New Agricultural Centers In Saudi Arabia Propel Fruit Sector Forward

The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, known as "Reef Saudi," has reported a rise in the number of centres marketing agricultural produce across various regions. The initiative has established 11 such centres in Jazan, Najran, Asir, Al-Baha, Qassim, Hail, the Eastern Region, Makkah, Madinah, Al-Jouf, and Tabuk.

These centres are integral to logistics for stores, significantly enhancing value chains and supply chains in the fruit sector. They receive fruits and perform initial cooling to extend shelf life. Additionally, they clean, sort, package, and wrap fruits using specialised equipment. The products are then stored in large refrigerated warehouses before the marketing and selling processes commence.

Sales channels include online platforms, auctions, direct consumer sales, e-commerce platform linkages, and small retail outlets for entrepreneurs. According to Reef Saudi, these centres offer marketing solutions poised to transform the fruit sector in the Kingdom. This model is set to expand across all regions through various projects.

The centres provide post-harvest services such as cleaning, sorting, packaging, and logistics. These services help maintain product quality, simplify supply chains, and create sustainable marketing solutions for farmers by diversifying the customer base.

Financial Support and Production Goals

The financial support provided by the program to the fruit sector since its launch has reached SAR102 million. This funding has benefited 6,322 individuals. Last year, the volume of fruit production in the sectors targeted by the program reached 244,000 tons. The goal is to increase production to 305,000 tons by 2026.

Reef Saudi's efforts are aimed at improving the agricultural landscape in Saudi Arabia by providing essential services that enhance productivity and market reach for farmers.

With inputs from SPA