Through its interactive pavilion at Unaizah Dates Festival 1438H, The Saudi Export Development Authority "Saudi Exports" aims to increase the Kingdom's share in the global date market by raising export awareness, developing the potential exporters' capacities and highlighting the global market opportunities for dates. This participation at the festival that will take place between 28 Dhu Al-Qa'da and 23 Dhu Al-Hijjah stems from its role in increasing the proportion of Saudi non-oil exports, encouraging openness to international markets and increasing the competitive quality of local products in a way that reflects the position of the Saudi product.
On the sidelines of its participation in the festival, Saudi Exports will be organizing a series of activities including a session with an export consultant providing direct advice to the pavilion visitors, as well as a lecture at the festival stage to highlight date export potentials. It will also be holding a workshop on "How to Export Dates?" at the Chamber of Commerce in Unaizah during the festival days.
The Director-General of the Department of Marketing and Corporate Communications at the Authority, Eng. Mazen bin Omar Al-Jasser stressed the special interest of Saudi Exports in raising exporters' awareness about export procedures and develop their readiness, noting the importance of the date industry in the Kingdom with its over 60 date export destinations around the world. He also pointed out that the value of international date exports amounted to SAR 3.4 billion in 2016, with the Kingdom ranking third worldwide with SAR 584 billion, a share he considered to be still low, especially as the Kingdom ranks the world's second date producer. Although the Kingdom's date production has received demand in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Kuwait and Turkey, markets such as India and Morocco, the world's largest date importers, still represent potential export destinations for Saudi dates.
It is worth mentioning that "Saudi Exports" employs all its capabilities towards Advocating export ecosystem efficiency; building export capacities; promoting exporters and their products; encouraging Saudi products and boosting their competitive quality in order to help them access international markets in a way that reflects the position of the Saudi product and serve as a tributary to the national economy. The work of "Saudi Exports" comes as a translation of the Saudi Vision 2030 and a response to the aspirations of the wise leadership towards diversifying the sources of income of the national economy.