The "Honey and Dates Festival 2024" launched today in Khafji governorate, under the patronage of Khafji Governor Mohammed bin Sultan Al-Hazza, with the attendance of officials and figures from the agricultural sector. Running for five days, the festival aims to highlight the economic and nutritional importance of honey and date products, with a focus on mangrove honey, prized for its unique qualities as a product of salt-tolerant plants that grow along the shoreline.

Supporting beekeepers and boosting production

Engineer Fahd Al-Hamzi, director general of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture's branch in the Eastern Province, said the ministry aims through this event to support small beekeepers and encourage them to increase honey production in the region. He also pointed to the importance of developing beekeeping techniques, improving production quality and spreading modern beekeeping methods to boost productive efficiency.

Diverse participation and standout displays

The festival brought together 21 beekeepers and date producers, showcasing a variety of honey types, including:

  • Mangrove honey
  • Sidr honey
  • Talh (acacia) honey

In addition to processed products such as honey-based soaps and creams, and date products such as date molasses and its derivatives.

The festival's significance

The Honey and Dates Festival serves as an important platform to raise nutritional and economic awareness of both products, while introducing the public and visitors to the merits of local honey, particularly mangrove honey, a unique natural resource of the Eastern Province. It also helps support the local economy and encourage small-scale investment in the beekeeping and date sectors.