RIYADH: The National Center for Palms and Dates (NCPD) has recently held the International Dates Conference and Exhibition titled “Byproducts of Palms and Their Applications” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday.
The SPA reported that organized jointly with King Saud University and the ByPalma Association, and held under the patronage of Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Engineer Abdulrahman AlFadley, in Riyadh from December 5 to 14, the event saw a remarkable turnout from among local and global governmental entities, 100 scientific presentations, and about 120 scientific and dialogue sessions.
According to the SPA, more than 1,300 attendees from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and around the world joined both in person and remotely to discuss industry progress, opportunities, developments, and challenges.
International Dates Conference
The international conference also announced the winners of the 2nd edition of the NCPD International Prize, honoring eight recipients across three categories: Best Scientific Research, Date Palm Innovative Technology Excellence, and New Product Development.
Parallel to the global conference, the “World of Dates” exhibition showcased the local and global palm and dates sector, emphasizing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s significant role.
Key Agreements at the International Dates Conference and Exhibition Boost Saudi Arabia's Global Leadership in the Palm and Date Sector.https://t.co/un0qF51Bk8#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/TuwluZfoKF
— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) December 29, 2023
Over 25 local and global agreements and memoranda of cooperation were inked at the event; 21 firms selling dates and their derivatives, or in the food industry inked with Alibaba Group as approved sellers of exported dates to China and other nations. The Khalas Dates Packaging Company inked a SAR16 million deal with the German Baladna firm and another deal with the American Galaxy Foods Company worth SAR7.5 million.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is the top exporter of dates in the world, with a value amounting to SAR1,280 billion, SPA added.
