RIYADH — The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) stated that the Kingdom has made a quantum leap in the cultivation of coffee trees by planting an additional 250,000 trees since 2017, reaching 400,000 trees by the end of 2020. The Kingdom supports coffee projects through several programs and initiatives, including the establishment of a research unit, it pointed out. The ministry said in a statement on its Twitter account that the official statistics for the year 2017 showed that the number of coffee trees in the major growing regions of Jazan, Asir and Al-Baha had not exceeded 150,000 trees. In the Kingdom, Arabian coffee is chiefly grown in Al-Dayer Bani Malik region in Jazan and Hada Mountain region in Asir. These regions are famous for producing high-quality Khawlani coffee, which is popular throughout the world. Khawlani coffee farmers in the mountainous governorates of the Jazan region continue to pick coffee beans and harvest their crops during the annual harvest season, which runs from October to January. Cultivation of Khawlani coffee beans is considered to be a highly respected vocation that embodies the cultural identity and legacy of the people of these mountainous regions. The ministry said that the number of coffee trees reached about 250,000 in the three regions, between 2018 and 2020, thanks to the support of the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, in addition to the launch of several programs and initiatives. The ministry stressed that the Kingdom supports coffee projects through several programs and initiatives, including the initiative to rehabilitate agricultural terraces and the application of rainwater harvesting techniques. The Kingdom concluded an agreement with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), by which the fund’s first projects in Saudi Arabia included coffee plantation. The project will be launched in the Coffee Development City in the Al-Baha region by planting more than 300,000 trees, with setting up of the largest coffee exhibition in Saudi Arabia, and the establishment of an integrated coffee factory that includes sorting, processing, roasting and packaging. The ministry revealed that a coffee research unit has been established at the Agricultural Research Center in the Jazan region, which is the first of its kind, after approval came to its development due to the success stories of Jazan in coffee cultivation. The ministry also affirmed that it would continue providing support to enhance production in its cultivation areas. “The most important objectives of the sustainable agricultural rural development program is to work on developing coffee cultivation, and marketing it locally and globally, besides opening the way for more investments in this field,” the ministry statement added.