BURAIDAH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia has officially launched the Buraidah International Dates Festival 2026, one of the Kingdom’s largest agricultural and cultural events, in Al-Nakhla Grounds, south of the city of Buraidah in the Qassim Region.
Held under the patronage of Qassim Governor Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz and organized in cooperation with the National Center for Palms and Dates, the annual festival will continue until October 14, welcoming thousands of visitors, traders, farmers, exporters, and investors from Saudi Arabia and abroad.
World’s Largest Date Market
The Buraidah Dates Market is widely recognized as the largest date market in the world and is officially listed in the Guinness World Records.
Each year, the market serves as a major commercial hub for the buying and selling of Saudi dates, attracting wholesalers, retailers, exporters, and international buyers seeking premium-quality date varieties produced across the Kingdom.
The 75-day festival is expected to generate significant commercial activity while highlighting Saudi Arabia’s growing leadership in global date production and exports.
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Qassim: Saudi Arabia’s Date Production Hub
The Qassim Region remains one of Saudi Arabia’s most important agricultural centers, particularly for date cultivation.
According to festival organizers:
- The region is home to approximately 11 million date palm trees.
- Annual date production reaches around 578,000 tonnes.
- More than 4,000 people are directly employed in the date industry.
- The sector contributes approximately SAR 3.2 billion annually to the regional economy.
The festival also serves as a platform to promote Saudi agricultural products in international markets while supporting local farmers and businesses.
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Cultural and Agricultural Activities
In addition to commercial trading, organizers have arranged a wide range of cultural and educational activities throughout the festival.
Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about:
- Modern date farming techniques
- Palm tree cultivation and maintenance
- Improving crop productivity
- Harvest preservation methods
- Traditional agricultural practices in Qassim
- Saudi cultural heritage linked to date cultivation
Interactive exhibitions and educational programs are also designed to increase public awareness of sustainable agriculture and the importance of the date industry to Saudi Arabia’s economy.
Supporting Saudi Vision 2030
The Buraidah International Dates Festival aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify the Kingdom’s economy, strengthen non-oil exports, support agriculture, and develop tourism through internationally recognized cultural and commercial events.
Saudi dates are exported to dozens of countries worldwide, making the industry an increasingly important contributor to the Kingdom’s agricultural exports.
