Saudi company to boost sustainable agriculture, production of Ajwa dates, in Medina
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has established a new company aimed at developing sustainable agriculture in Medina, with a focus on improving the quality and production of Ajwa dates in the region.
The Al Madinah Heritage Company (MHC) will play a key role in enhancing the Saudi Food and Agriculture industry and drive the diversification of the Kingdom’s economy in line with the Vision 2030, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
“The dates industry is a key component of Saudi Arabia’s Food and Agriculture sector and has an important role to play in the realization of Vision 2030,” SPA quoted the Head of Consumer Goods and Retail in the MENA Investments Division at PIF, Majed al-Assaf, as saying.
MHC will primarily work towards wider development of sustainable agriculture in Medina by adopting latest agricultural technologies. The company will also implement ways to increase the production and distribution of Ajwa dates, both locally and internationally, to meet the rising global demand.
Ajwa dates are widely considered one of the finest dates across the globe, due to their high nutritional value and significant health benefits. Additionally, the dates also have a religious and cultural importance in the Muslim world, especially for thousands of pilgrims who visit Medina every year.
Over the years, PIF has made several strategic investments in the Food and Agricultural sector to help diversify the local economy and support the produce industries. These include the Saudi Coffee Company, which promotes Saudi Khulani coffee, the Halal Products Development Company, which invests in the halal products sector and the Saudi Agricultural Investment and Livestock Production Company, SALIC.