Buraidah: Saudi Arabia's Qassim Province is rapidly strengthening its position as one of the Kingdom's leading agricultural regions, with grape cultivation emerging as a major success story driven by favourable climatic conditions and expanding commercial production.
The province currently produces 30,875 tonnes of grapes annually, according to Salman bin Jarallah Al Suwain, Director General of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture's regional branch. Grape cultivation is concentrated in the governorates of Uyun AlJiwa, Midhnab and Al Badayea, where suitable natural conditions have enabled the crop to flourish.
More than 60 farms spread across over 1,021 hectares are under grape cultivation, with over 1.28 million fruit-bearing vines. Farmers produce a wide range of premium varieties, including Black Rose, Twaifi, Halwani, Black Magic, as well as several popular red and green grapes that enjoy strong market demand.
The ministry is actively supporting the expansion of grape cultivation while encouraging investments in value-added industries linked to the crop, including the production of juices, grape sauces, raisins and natural vinegar. The initiative aims to enhance the value of local agricultural produce and improve the competitiveness of Saudi farm products, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Local farmer Abdulrahman Eid Al Oufi said more than 35 years of farming experience have helped growers identify suitable grape varieties and successfully adopt modern cultivation techniques, significantly improving both productivity and fruit quality.
Harvesting of early-maturing varieties begins in mid-June, while the marketing season extends for nearly four months. Grapes are harvested entirely by hand to preserve their quality, further cementing the crop's role as a strategic agricultural product supporting Qassim's diversification and food-processing industries.