Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah Dates

Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah Dates are the dates produced by palm farms in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah Province, located in the west of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is famous for specific varieties, such as Ajwa al-Madinah, which Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (PBUH), encouraged to eat every morning. In 2019, al-Madinah al-Munawwarah Province produced more than 213,000 t of dates.

The palms of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah hold a special place among Muslims. The Prophet's Mosque was roofed with palm fronds and supported by its trunks during its construction. Additionally, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to deliver sermons while leaning against a palm trunk.

Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah Province is renowned for producing Ajwa dates, with an estimated nine hundred thousand Ajwa date palms out of a total of 4.75 million palms in the province's farms. These farms produce around seventy varieties of dates. Also, al-Ruthana is among the well-known varieties of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, in terms of taste and quality. It is popular in the Kingdom and the Gulf countries, especially during the month of Ramadan. Additionally, the date farms of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah produce other varieties including al-Anbara, al-Safawi, al-Barni, al-Barhi, al-Suwaida, al-Ja'fari, al-Khudri, al-Shegrey, al-Qattara, Sukkari al-Madinah, al-Khalas, and others.

The association works on developing and organizing date production, in addition to enhancing farmers' expertise through practical training workshops, implementing agricultural field schools, and providing support from regulatory and advisory entities to farmers in the province, particularly in improving conditions of production, marketing, and manufacturing. The association collaborates cooperatively with numerous scientific and research institutions, as well as private sector companies.

The Date Services Center in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah is the first project under 'Palm of the Nation' program, organized by the National Center for Palms and Dates and the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC). The center aims to enhance and increase the value of date exports, and provide guidance services to improve production, reduce costs, and enhance quality. It supports the marketing of dates by finding buyers and operators in both local and global markets and offers cold storage and transportation services. Additionally, it creates new job opportunities, with 1,900 expected positions in various direct and indirect fields related to date services. The center also contributes to reducing water consumption and focusing on manufacturing industries. Also, it signs agreements with companies and organizations. In 2019, the center provided support for agricultural, logistical, and marketing services, both before and after date harvest, at a cost of approximately SAR120 million for an area of one hundred thousand m² and sixteen thousand t of dates produced by five hundred thousand date palms.

In 2021, al-Madinah al-Munawwarah Chamber, in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank, organized Madinah Dates International Virtual Exhibit. The event continued for three days and aimed to contribute to the development and enhancement of the local date market and to promote exports by building economic and trade relationships with global markets. It also aims to create a favorable national economic environment through engagement with relevant government entities. The exhibit featured virtual booths for exhibitors, export companies, date factories and entrepreneurs. It also included discussion panels and workshops via the online platform to address financial, strategic, and logistical topics related to the dates sector.