KSA (King Faisal University) Workshop on “Date Immaturity: Economic Causes and Effects”

Patronage of His Highness the Governor of Al-Ahsa

King Faisal University organizes a workshop on “Date Immaturity: Economic Causes and Effects”

Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Talal bin Badr, Governor of Al-Ahsa, and in the presence of His Excellency the President of King Faisal University, Prof. Adel bin Muhammad Abu Zinadah, the university, in cooperation with the Al-Ahsa Development Authority, organized a specialized workshop entitled (Date Immaturity: Economic Causes and Effects) with the participation of Prof. Dr. Saleh bin Mubarak Al-Turki, Eng. Dhaen bin Abdulaziz Al-Dhaen from the General Organization for Irrigation, and Eng. Sadiq bin Yassin Al-Ramadan from Al-Ahsa Chamber and presented by Prof. Dr. Salah bin Muhammad Al-Eid On Monday, December 23, 2024 at the Dome Hall.

His Excellency the President of the University opened the workshop with reference to the generous care of His Highness the Governor of Al-Ahsa for the work of the workshop and his continuous keenness to support the agricultural sector in the governorate, indicating that the university has formed a specialized scientific team from the College of Agricultural and Food Sciences, the College of Science, the Center of Research Excellence in Palm and Dates and the central laboratories to study this phenomenon and submit a comprehensive scientific report to explain its causes and ways to address it, stressing his happiness on the university’s belief and based on its institutional identity aimed at achieving food security and environmental sustainability. The importance of caring for the date palm as a major national wealth.

After that, the speakers in the workshop reviewed a set of axes that deal with good practices in agriculture and date palm service, and the factors affecting the incomplete maturity of palm fruits from conditions, nutrients, unbalanced fertilization, high soil salinity, agricultural operations from the slippers, lack of taste and planting distances, in addition to best practices to improve fruit ripening from the organization of irrigation, especially in the pollination stage and covering fruits during high temperature.

Speakers at the workshop also addressed the economic effects of date immaturity, addressing a number of reasons, including low revenues, increased prices, low production efficiency, and the impact on industries related to dates.

The workshop concluded with a set of recommendations to address and reduce this phenomenon.