BURAIDAH: The second edition of the International Dates Conference was recently held in Qassim as part of the annual Buraidah Date Festival.
Organized by the National Center for Palms and Dates, the two-day conference held several sessions with the participation of 45 speakers — experts and specialists in fields related to dates and palms — representing 15 countries.
The first session discussed the nutritional value of dates and their importance for future generations, especially children, the importance of understanding consumer behavior in preparing to enter global markets, and a review of international reports for the most prominent countries importing dates.
The second session tackled the use of date products in developing the dairy industry and putting the digital transformation experience into practice in manufacturing and distributing dates, as well as a review of pioneering experiences in the process industries of date derivatives and the role of the Agricultural Development Fund in promoting the manufacturing of date products.
The third session addressed the efforts of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority in ensuring the safety and quality of Saudi dates. It also discussed the international experiences in highlighting the role of the cooperative societies sector in marketing agricultural products and the vision and objectives of the “Made in Saudi” program.
