AlUla launches new agricultural season backed by 130,000-ton annual date harvest

ALULA — The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), home to an annual production of 130,000 tonnes of dates and 14,000 tonnes of citrus fruits, has launched the 2026–2027 Khairat AlUla agricultural season. The initiative is part of the commission's efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of AlUla's agricultural sector, boost production efficiency, and empower farmers in support of sustainable development. **media[2735580]** AlUla's cultivated land spans more than 20,500 hectares, producing nearly 130,000 tonnes of dates annually and around 14,000 tonnes of citrus fruits from more than 400,000 citrus trees. Across the oasis, more than 4.2 million palm trees have been surveyed and registered, while over 1.5 million palms have been integrated into a smart QR code traceability system to enhance product quality and improve market and export readiness. These efforts support the commission's 2035 targets of increasing the agricultural sector's gross output to SR1.8 billion and raising date sales to SR1.507 billion, including SR1.226 billion in exports. **media[2735581]** The commission also continues to provide advisory, technical, and veterinary services to more than 7,100 farmers, alongside specialized training programs that build local expertise and increase the number of farms awarded the Saudi Dates Mark. As part of its sustainability efforts, the commission is advancing circular economy initiatives by recycling agricultural waste into more than 334,000 cubic meters of organic compost. It is also pursuing its goal of reducing water consumption by 47 percent by 2035, with designs for modern irrigation systems and monitoring technologies completed for more than 4,000 hectares across Fadla, Al-Hijr, Al-Manshiyah, and Dadan. **media[2735579]** The Khairat AlUla season also enriches the visitor experience through a seasonal agricultural program that showcases the oasis's diverse crops and harvest cycles while connecting local products with AlUla's identity as a sustainable destination. Seasonal events provide marketing and commercial platforms that bring together farmers, productive families, entrepreneurs, local businesses, visitors, and investors, expanding opportunities for local agricultural products.